Starting Over
by AnnieAltman88
Summary: After several long months, Black Organization is defeated at last and Conan is given the antidote he's always wished for. And Miyano Shiho is offered a new life - a fresh start as the new transfer student at Teiten High School. Shinichi/Shiho. Enjoy!
1. Prologue

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Hello, guys! WOW, it's been a while, hasn't it? Well, I've FINALLY gotten around to that multi-chaptered story I've been babbling about recently! Believe me, it took a lot will-power and determination for me to sit in front of the computer rather than on the couch watching TV!**

**The pairing is Shinichi/Shiho (or Conan/Ai) as always! (BTW, if you guys EVER want me to portray a different pairing, you only need to ask! I'll see what I can do!)**

**Well, here's chapter 1: The Prologue! (for lack of a better title) [;  
**

**NOTE: This fiction takes place after the defeat of Black Organization. There will be a couple references to it. **

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Detective Conan. (:**

* * *

(3rd Person POV)

"Kudo."

A young, bespectacled boy of around 7-years old turned around, meeting the eyes of another child – female, with shoulder-length, dirty blonde hair. Her gaze was lingering sadly over a group of primary school students behind them as they joyfully played the newest Kamen Yaiba video game on a certain professor's flat screen TV.

"Haibara," the seemingly innocent boy nodded. However, his solemn expression was clearly not that of a child's – nor were the bruises upon his face, or the large, bulky cast on his leg. The girl, too, bore a similiar look, with bandages layered over her entire left arm. Yet, despite their injuries, both of the children seemed relieved, almost cheerful. "How are you feeling?" the boy by the name of Kudo added.

Haibara let out a sigh. "Come with me." She led him downstairs, to the basement.

The two children quietly entered the lab. Immediately, Haibara headed towards a large cabinet, and took from it a clear, plastic box barely the size of her palm. Opening it, she revealed two red and white pills, and showed the dazed boy beside her.

"Ai..."

"I finished it last night," Haibara Ai told him, "After I was able to retrieve the rest of the APTX-4869 data, it was actually quite simple. You can take it today, if you'd like... Of course, Conan's 'departure' would need to be arranged... but... I'm sure you couldn't wait to go back to _her_." For a split-second, she seemed saddened, but Conan hardly noticed. He was too busy jumping up and down in joy.

"I... Really, Ai?" He had called her by her first name again. She smiled bitterly. "I – I can't believe this! I have to find Ran! C'mon!" Pulling her by the hand, he dashed out of the lab and into the kitchen upstairs, to find a plump, white haired man cutting vegetables.

"Hakase!"

The old man jumped, "What is it, Shinichi?"

"The antitode! Haibara finished the antidote, Agasa!" Conan was jubilant. The professor took some time digesting this new developement. At last, he too jumped in joy.

"Oh – Shinichi! That's great! I'll call Ran and tell her Conan will be leaving tomorrow!" The professor ran to the phone. Conan turned to Ai, his grin fading slightly upon seeing her dejected expression.

"Haibara... what's wrong?" Conan asked, concerned. Suddenly, he started. "Wait! Ai – you're gonna take the antidote too, right?"

Ai rolled her eyes – in exasperation AND his use of her first name (which she actually found rather amusing). "Of _course_ I'm taking the antidote! You don't expect me to stay in this child's body forever do you?"

Conan breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright then!" he exclaimed, jubilant once more. "Tomorrow, Kudo Shinichi returns to Teiten High School! And now that the Organization's been taken down, Miyano Shiho can transfer too!" He flashed a big cocky grin at her.

Ai, stunned, replied, "I don't know Kudo..."

"Why not?"

"Well... I'd have no place as a high school student..."

"But you can start all over!"

"Yes, but I still don't think –"

"Why not?" The ever persistent detective was starting to get on Ai's nerves.

"Well it's not like you'd need me here anymore! I'm giving you your life back, Shinichi... At least go back to Ran and forget about me!"

Conan took a step back, dumbfounded. "Ai, you... you know I can never do that..."_ Why does he keep calling her by her first name? _He took a deep breath, "You may not know it, but... you mean a lot to us, okay? Agasa, the Detective Boys... me..."

She glared at him for only a second longer. "Fine. Miyano Shiho may transfer to your school tomorrow. But... if it doesn't work out... you won't be seeing me for much longer."

Conan frowned, but complied. "Well... Let's just worry about Conan and Ai for now..."

* * *

The very next morning, Kogoro, Ran, Professor Agasa, and the Detective Boys all gathered at Tokyo Narita International Airport to bid Conan and Ai farewell. Last night, the professor had gotten an unexpected call from Mrs. Edogawa, who missed her little boy, and insisted that both Conan-kun and Ai-chan (who was apparently a distant relative) come home to America with her and Mr. Edogawa.

And thus, that Saturday, everyone accompanied the two children to the airport. Ran and Ayumi were in tears, with Mitsuhiko and Genta trying to comfort them, and Kogoro looking bored – although if you looked close enough, there was a touch of sadness in his eyes. No doubt he would miss the little brat.

At last, after all the endless lines and airport security, they were able to enter the terminal, where only Conan and Ai were allowed to pass through. All their friends were given one last hug before the pair headed past the metal detectors, and out of their lives forever.

* * *

Both children let out sighs of relief the second they were out of sight. Goodbye's were always painful, and neither of them could deny that "leaving" saddened them. However, the act was up. There lives would no longer be one big lie. All they would have to do would be to change back – and everything would be right again.

Conan gave Ai one last smile as they stopped outside the public restrooms. "I'm going to miss seeing you in that body," he teased. She shot him a glare, before smiling wistfully as well.

"Don't pretend you won't be ecstactic to be back," she said, and placed a single pill in his palm, then sighed. "Goodbye, Edogawa-kun."

"Goodbye, Haibara..."

And they both entered their seperate bathrooms.

That was the last anyone saw of Edogawa Conan and Haibara Ai.

* * *

**A/N: GASP! Cliffhanger! LOL, I am so evil. Sorry this chapter was so short! I tried to do more! I really did! I just thought this was a good place for me to stop. (:**

**Also, I feel as though I'm going at an awkward pace..? Is it too fast..? Or maybe too slow? PLEASE tell me! **

**PLEASE REVIEW! Do you guys realize that if you review, it'll motivate me to write quicker and better? It's true! So please do it! **

**Um, I'm still not 100% sure where I'm gonna take this story so if you guys happen to have ideas... [;**

**Thanks! More to come soon!**


	2. Priorities

**Starting Over**

**A/N: HOLY GUACAMOLE YOU GUYS! I posted the first chapter for this fiction at night, woke up the next morning, and had 8 reviews already? I don't know, maybe fan fiction users prefer these kind of stories to my others..? But that's really great! Thanks SO much!**

**Well, just about ALL of my reviews told me to update faster... here's chapter 2! I hope I don't disappoint... LOL (:**

**NOTE: Thanks SOOO much to roankun for pointing out that if 2 years have indeed passed, then Shinichi would be 19-years old, and therefore OUT of high school! I'll try to make the adjustments! My mistake!**

**NOTE #2: Every in Italics are thoughts! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan! [:**

**

* * *

**

(3rd Person POV)

A young, handsome, dark-haired man stepped out of the Tokyo Narita International Airport men's public restroom, pulling a navy blue baseball cap over his head, and hiding his face. He seemed around 17-years old and was wearing a simple dark blue suit jacket, over a white button-up shirt and tie, and slacks – his signature outfit, if you knew him long enough.

A small, carry-on bag was slung over his shoulder – it seemed light enough for a child to carry. If anyone had bothered to inspect it, they would find a strange assortment of child's clothing – almost identical to the man's carrying it, but of course, they would obviously be too small for him.

As he stepped into the bright sunlight, he smiled – a barely noticeable, thoughtful grin.

Kudo Shinichi had returned to Japan.

* * *

The last time Miyano Shiho looked into a mirror, she saw a small, 8-year old girl looking back at her with large blue-green eyes. Now, as she glimpsed into the airport's nearly broken mirror, she saw a woman in her late teens, with golden blonde, shoulder length hair and a delicately shaped face... Never had she bothered to think of herself as particularly pretty – but she _was_ rather aware that she wasn't completely hideous. Despite her interest in fashion magazines, in the Black Organization, you never really thought about whether or not you looked nice... you were too busy trying to staying alive.

As she stepped out of the woman's restroom, she inconspicuously removed an "Out of Order" sign from the door. She and Shinichi were careful enough to make sure they would not be interrupted during the transformation. It would have been somewhat awkward for someone to walk in and witness it.

Shiho glanced around at her surroundings. She wore some of the brand new clothes Agasa had graciously given to her as a "farewell" gift (he had bought her an entire new wardrobe to wear as a teenager). Luckily for her, he had picked them out specially from the fashion magazines she constantly read, and the clothes were just to her tastes. Immediately after reverting back to her teenaged self, Shiho slipped on a white designer blouse, black A-line skirt, and heels.

Feeling a strange sense of excitement, she swung a handbag over her shoulder and smirked.

Her new life had begun at last.

* * *

Shinichi checked his watch for what felt like the twentieth time. _How could that woman possibly take so long? _At last, he caught of glimpse of blonde hair in the sea of brown. He quickly made his way through the crowd of people and grabbed Shiho's shoulder, causing her to spin around.

"Hey, about time you fin– !" There was an obvious pause. _Whoa_.Shinichi's mouth was slightly agape.

"What?" Shiho demanded, defensively.

"I –" Shinichi, blunt as ever, said the first thing that came to mind, "Hey, you're actually really pretty!"

While he hurriedly tried to correct his rather embarrassing statement (which came out a lot more surprised than necessary), Shiho's face went from shocked to offended, and to somewhat flattered, until she at last settled on an amused expression.

"Why thank you, Kudo... And I suppose you were under the impression I was some kind of troll?" She somehow managed to raise an eyebrow and glare at the same time.

"What? No! N – not at all!" The red-faced detective laughed sheepishly. "I – er, well... just forget I said anything!"

Shiho scoffed, and continued walking. Shinichi, still blushing, followed her, muttering something along of the lines of _"stupid hormones..." _

Once they exited the airport and waited for a cab, Shinichi asked, "So where do you wanna go?"

Shiho gave him a questioning look. "I thought you'd want to go find Ran immediately after you got your body back."

"Nah," her companion shrugged, "I think I'm gonna surprise her! Do you think she'll enjoy that? But, _man_, I can't wait to finally see her again!" And he went on and on about ways to make up for his long absence to Ran. Shiho let out an unnoticed sigh and shifted her gaze, trying to allow something else to occupy her mind. Across the street, she noticed a foreign looking teenager her age, instructing the taxi driver where to place a rather large pet cage. Focusing her eyes on him, she attempted to block out all of Shinichi's plans to confess to Ran. _If it hurts so much, _she thought to herself, _why do I even bother? Why am I still here?_

Suddenly, the young foreign man noticed her looking at him, and shoots her a smirk and a wink. Disgusted, Shiho only glares back.

"Miyano? Oi! Shiho?" Shinichi was waving his hand in front of her face.

"Yes?" She whipped around to face him.

Her friend gave her a strange look. "I _said_, should I take her out for dinner again or should I ask to speak to her in private? I mean, I always thought dinner would be more romantic, but considering it didn't exactly work out last t–"

"Kudo, why are you asking me this?" Shiho asks softly. Shinichi looks genuinely surprised. "You've never talked to me much about these things before..."

"C'mon, Shiho! ...I can call you that now, right?" Shinichi frowns, "We're more or less best friends. I'd only tell people I'm close to stuff about Ran." He blushed slightly. "I mean, it's not exactly the most comfortable subject for me..."

Shiho felt numb. Shinichi had no idea the impact his words had on her. "Kudo...," she begins.

"Shinichi," he corrected, frowning once more.

"I...," Shiho paused, as if it pained her greatly to say it, but then smiles ever so slightly, "Thank you."

Shinichi beamed.

"Let's go get some lunch."

* * *

Sitting at a table outside a small cafe, Shinichi couldn't help but feel rather delighted to be in his original body. Although being Conan had it's advantages, he honestly missed being a famous detective. Of course, his experiences as Conan would not be forgotten – no doubt he learned a lot in the process, things that changed who he was, and things he was doubtful he'd ever forget. And of course, there was the people he had met on his quest to defeat Black Organization. The Detective Boys, for example... Jodie Saintemillion and the FBI... And, of course... he grinned at the woman sitting across from him with her legs crossed, sipping a cold cup of coffee.

He knew he would miss Ai, with all her witty remarks and death glares (which could burn a hole through the back of his head!), but of course, having Shiho was no different... well, except in height... and...

He stole another glance at his companion. Her blondish hair seemed to glow in the sunlight. Naturally light hair was something you'd learn to appreciate in Japan, and Shinichi always thought Shiho's was perhaps the most natural of all. Of course, her eyes were another rarity. Her iris's almost seemed to change with her moods. Shinichi chuckled silently to himself. Whenever she's angry, he can pretty much guarantee they'll turn an icy blue on him. And when she's thinking about her sister, they'll seem to diminish into a darker greenish-gray. And (this one was his favorite) when she'd smile, almost identically to the smile she showed him just recently, her eyes would glow – the brightest cerulean eyes Shinichi had ever had the pleasure of seeing.

"Why are you staring at me?" Now her eyes were a deep blue (_her "suspicious" look_, Shinichi smiled to himself.)

Grinning at her, he replied. "No reason. Just picturing what you'd be like as a high school student." This caused her to roll her eyes at him.

"Hopefully, not as immature and dense as the rest of you," she retorted with a slight smile. "Or is that just you, Kudo?"

"Oi!"

Chuckling, Shiho continued to sip her drink. "Kidding."

Shinichi's gaze softened. "I've already had Agasa order you a uniform, so you should receive it today. Oh, and you'd be in the same class as me and Ran. I gotta warn you though, the kids are rather... foolish..."

Shiho scoffed. "I've known you for months, Kudo. I shouldn't have a problem dealing with that."

"Wow, you're just on a roll today aren't you?" Shinichi looked half-annoyed, half-amused. "Just be careful not to talk to the boys that way. I know _they _wouldn't be quite as tolerant as I am... and that's no way to get a boyfriend – if that's what you're looking for." He smiled broadly.

Shiho shot him a dirty look. "As a matter of _fact_ –"

"Shinichi!"

Another voice interrupted their conversation. Both heads turned to find a rather anxious looking Ran dragging her best friend Sonoko towards them.

"Shoot." muttered Shinichi.

Shiho raised an eyebrow. "And here I was thinking you'd be _happy _to see her."

"Well, yeah," Shinichi actually looked slightly agitated at the sight of his longtime friend and love interest. "So much for surprising her though."

"Shinichi!" Ran called again, before reaching their table at last. "Shinichi! You're b– " She looked at Shiho in surprise. "Shinichi, who is this?"

"What?" Sonoko Suzuki exclaimed, her face nearly red with anger, "Shinichi, you're girlfriend waits _months _for you to come home, and here you are with another girl? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Ran's face turned pink, and she mumbles quietly, "I'm not his girlfriend..." Shinichi looks rather uncomfortable. Shiho, taking pity on the two, took over.

"Miyano Shiho," she extended her hand to Ran, who shook it hesitantly. "Kudo and I met on a case. Now that it's been cleared up, I've decided to move to Beika. Rest assured, nothing the least bit romantic is going on between the two of us. Besides, I'm sure he has his heart set on you..." Her last statement was much quieter, but it still managed to cause large amounts of blushing from both Ran and Shinichi. Sonoko, however, wasn't pleased.

"Well, then why aren't you with your _girlfriend_? Why are you eating out with another girl?" she asked, accusingly.

Shinichi scowled and stood up, "Geez, Sonoko! Give a guy some rest! Can't I spend some time with Shiho? Just because I'm friends with a girl does not mean she's my girlfriend!"

Sonoko wouldn't back down. "But shouldn't _Ran _be your first priority?"

Shinichi looked furious. "I think it's quite _clear_ who my first priority is!" Sonoko gasped. Shinichi looked abashed. That did not come out the way he intended. All three girls looked at him with varying expressions: anger, hurt, jealousy... and just plain shock. "I – no, Ran – I didn't mean it that way!"

His childhood friend shook her head, and smiled in a way she hoped was understanding. "It's alright. I know you didn't mean it... you were just angry." She didn't know if she was trying to convince him, or herself. "I... I'll talk to you later, Shinichi." Giving him one last feeble wave, she pulled Sonoko by the hand and left.

Shinichi slumped in his chair, horror-stricken. "Oh gosh. I blew it."

He seemed so defeated. Although part of Shiho wanted to agree and tell him how horribly wrong he was... well, she decided he'd had enough of that for the day. And he just didn't deserve to be treated harshly. Instead she placed her hand over his and for the second time that day, gave him a warm and sincere smile.

"I'm sorry, Shinichi."

Somehow, his day began to seem a little more worthwhile.

* * *

**A/N: Omg! Done at LAST! Took me three days! I made sure to spend at least an hour each day! (JUST for you guys!) A couple last concerns though...**

**I tried to keep everyone in character... had a little trouble with that though... Yikes. I didn't want Shinichi to seem to... wimpy... LOL. Or like such a dork, so I made him sound at least a little cool... I hope...**

**Oh, was it still too short? Sorry... I tried to make it longer ): It's just a little hard to tell until you actually upload it...**

**I don't know... Maybe I was too dramatic? Especially during the fight between Shinichi and Sonoko towards the end...? Please give me your thoughts! I STILL am not sure where to take this story... I normally just write whatever I feel like. [:**

**Thanks SO much for those of you who reviewed... if you haven't, PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Your kind and loving author. (:**


	3. Laughter

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Okay, you guys: I've had some major writer's block writing this chapter! So to cure it, I forced myself to sit outside and listen to love songs over and over until I got an idea for this romance! (;**

**I have to say... it didn't really work as well as I hoped... but hey, at least I'm writing again!**

**NOTE: Thoughts are still in Italics!**

**NOTE #2: Thank you roankun (again!) for being like my unofficial editor! Always pointing out little details or mistakes that I missed (and will bug me for eternity if they aren't fixed)!**

**Disclaimer: I didn't own Detective Conan in the first chapter... I still don't own it now. (:**

* * *

(3rd Person POV)

Never in his life had Shinichi ever felt reluctant to talk to Ran, his longtime childhood friend and crush. But there were no other words to describe the feeling. He simply didn't want to have to call her up and ask to speak to her, but... well, he had been waiting months for this moment, he couldn't let it slip now.

At last, he took a deep breath and, before he could change his mind, dialed her number on his cell phone. It rang once... twice... a third time... and just when he was about to hang up and try to forget about it, Ran picked up. "Hello?"

Shinichi gulped. _Well, it's now or never..._"Hi, Ran! Uh, it's me! Listen, are you busy right now?"

A pause. "No, I'm not, Shinichi... Why?"

Gripping the phone even tighter, he replies, "Well, can you come over..? I'm at my house right now. I... I need to tell you something." Another pause. This time, he could almost feel her start to smile slightly.

"Alright, Shinichi. Let me finish cooking dinner for my dad and I'll be over. Give me half an hour."

"Okay, Ran. Thanks. I'll talk to you later." She hung up. Shinichi let out a sigh of relief. Recently, just talking to Ran on the phone seemed much more strenuous than it should have been. He had no idea why.

Shrugging on a sweater, he has the sudden urge to head next door to Agasa's. There was certainly enough time. And he hasn't seen the professor since he was Conan at the airport. He should probably let him know how everything worked out for him. And...

Closing and locking the door behind him, he realized that despite not being at home for such a long period of time, he was somewhat eager to leave. Perhaps he was so accustomed to being at the Detective Agency and Agasa's that they now felt like second homes to him.

Making sure to close the gate, Shinichi walked across the street and rang the doorbell once to the Agasa residence once. Shiho let him in and began to make her way back inside.

Following her, he asked, "Where's the professor?"

"He took the kids out for ice cream," Shiho said with her back still turned towards him, walking towards the kitchen, "They were upset that Conan and Ai had left, so he took them to one of those revolving sushi stores they love so much. Now they're getting desert."

Shinichi nodded. "Ah, well, Ran's coming over soon." Shiho stopped, turning.

"Why are you telling me this?" Shinichi shrugged. Giving him a strange look, Shiho questioned, "So you're planning on telling her about Conan now?"

He shook his head. "No. I... I don't know. I just feel like maybe I've ruined her happiness enough lately... I don't wanna add anything extra to her load. She probably has a lot on her mind already. Maybe I'll tell her in the future... I just... I just want things to be like they used to be... Forget Black Organization." Shiho nodded, her eyes focused on the ground. Shinichi continued, "Plus... I feel like the less she knows the better. This should just be between the two of us... with the exception of my parents and Agasa."

Shiho smiled gently. "Our little secret," she said, quietly.

Shinichi grinned. "Yeah..." Suddenly, his cell phone buzzed loudly. Taking it out and flipping it open, he cursed inwardly.

"Hey, I need to go. Ran's going to be early." he told Shiho.

"Oh."

"I'll see you later."

"See you." Shinichi left.

Ran Mouri rang her childhood friend's doorbell for the fifth time. _What on_earth_is taking him so long?_Shinichi always had a habit of being tardy, and she had to admit, it was one of the many things that she found unbearable about him.

"Ran!" Shinichi called from behind her. Turning, she spotted him running towards her from the professor's home. _What was he doing there?_

"Shinichi!" Ran smiles, "Finally, you're back! And... for good this time, right?"

Grinning, Shinichi unlocks the front door and ushers Ran in. "Sit down. I'll explain everything..." Taking a seat, Ran gazes up at him expectantly.

"Water? Sorry, I haven't been back for long... that's all I have."

"Water's fine."

At last, Shinichi places two glasses in front of them and stands across from her. Suddenly (and very unexpectedly), Ran began to sob. Her tears streaked down her face as she attempted to wipe them all off. Shinichi, aghast, placed his hand on her shoulder.

Ran took a deep breath and managed to croak, "Why did you have to leave?"

Looking down, Shinichi answered, "I was on a case."

"But why did you have to leave for so long?"

"I..."

"I waited for you, Shinichi! I waited for months!" The tears were gushing out now.

"Ran..."

"But apparently your stupid _case_was so much more important than me!"

"Never!"

"And I... I missed you!"

Shinichi sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Ran... I'm so sorry." Upon seeing her penetrating look, he continued. "I'm sorry for leaving. And for putting you through all that crap. For not being able to spend time with you for so long... I never wanted to put you through _any_ pain, Ran. You should know that! It was out of my control... I tried to come back sooner! And it was for your own protection. But... It hurt so bad to be away from you, Ran... knowing you were waiting for me to come home..." She stopped crying, which prompted him to continue.

Taking a deep breath, Shinichi went on, managing to wipe a few of her tears. "You mean so much to me, Ran. More than you think. In fact..." He paused. Something didn't feel right.

"Yes, Shinichi?"

"I... I love you, Ran. That's what I meant to tell you that night at dinner... before we were interrupted... Um..." He trailed off. He wasn't quite sure what to do. The words sounded so foreign on his tongue and his own voice felt so far away. Suddenly, Ran sprung to her feet and hugged him, sniffing.

"Shinichi, I... I think I can forgive you.. And I... I love you too." And then she did something that (despite his confession) couldn't help but shock him slightly. She kissed him.

Shinichi was simply in shock. After a while, he began to respond. Her lips were soft, and she held onto him tightly... Yet...

_No. This feels wrong...Why does this feel so wrong?_

Shinichi broke off the kiss. Ran stared questioningly at him. "What's wrong, Shinichi?"

"I..." The young detective shook his head. "Nothing, it's just... I'm tired, Ran. Can I talk to you at school tomorrow?"

"Sure, Shinichi." Ran grabbed her bag and proceeded to leave. She paused, and turned. "You owe me a date, okay?" Shinichi nodded. "Bye Shinichi!"

At last, she was gone. Shinichi collapsed on the couch. He felt unusually exhausted. But why? Why wasn't he overjoyed? _Finally_, he and Ran were together! They had _kissed_for goodness sakes! And yet... Perhaps he was just tired... Yes. That must be it. Tomorrow, reality would finally register and he'd be the happiest man alive.

But for now, he felt the sudden urge to go back to Professor Agasa's house.

"Hakase! You back yet?" Shinichi's voice echoed throughout the professor's home. He flopped lazily onto the couch and called again.

"Goodness, Kudo. And I thought you couldn't get much louder."

"Shiho," Shinichi flashed her a grin. "Where's Agasa?"

"Buying groceries," Shiho shook her head exasperatedly. "At this time of night too." Shinichi checked the clock. _9:28 PM,_it read.

"And you're still up? You have school tomorrow!" he reprimanded. Shiho shot him an annoyed look.

"Then you shouldn't even be here," she retorted.

"Fair enough," he grinned once more, and motioned beside him for her to sit. She took a seat as he turned on the TV and began to flip through channels lazily. A comfortable silence settled between them. Eventually, Shiho yawned and began to stand.

"I think I'll call it a night," she said, already in an oversized T-shirt and sleep shorts. Abruptly, Shinichi reached out a hand and stopped her.

"No. Stay with me a little longer. Please." He didn't know what possessed him to say what he did. All he knew was that when he and Shiho had sat together, he felt a strange sense of contentment. It was a feeling he needed now, especially after the events of that day.

Shiho frowned. "Why?"

"I just... Let's just talk."

She raised an eyebrow. "About?"

He didn't know. "Well– Ran and I kissed." Shinichi confessed the one thing that came to mind – the one thing he wanted so badly to get off his chest. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly the _smartest_ thing to say. There was a strange flicker in Shiho's eyes.

"You want me to sit here all night just to listen to how you and your _girlfriend_ got together?" Her eyes were incredibly stormy, and she quickly yanked her arm out of his grasp and began to walk away. Shinichi looked very distressed – and a little bit perplexed.

"Oi! No – come back!"

"What _is_ it, Kudo?"

He winced, grabbing her shoulder and forcing her to turn. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to spend time with you! ...that's all. Geez…" He added the last bit under his breath.

Shiho was silent. She looked suspicious. "...what?" Shinichi tugged on her hand and steered her back towards the couch.

"First Ran, now you... What did I do wrong?" he complained.

Shiho studied him, and then began to smirk. "Not exactly the ladies' man you thought you were, are you Kudo-kun?" He shrugged, happy that she was no longer too upset at him.

"Why don't you ask my fan club?" he countered with a smirk of his own. "I'm sure you're familiar with it."

Shiho scoffed. "What _you_need is to let some of the air out of that exceptionally large head of yours, tantei-san." They were both sitting again, sharing the space on the professor's couch.

"Aw, c'mon," Shinichi leaned back. "Don't pretend you don't love my 'exceptionally' big head. A lot of girls do, you know," he pointed out. Shiho made a disgusted face and made to scoot further away from him.

"Well, then I might be the only sane girl alive."

"Ouch," Shinichi said. "Alright, truce..." He watched her closely. "Are you nervous?" he asked after a while. Shiho glanced at him skeptically.

"What should I be nervous about?"

"You're starting school tomorrow!" The detective replied – a little bit too dramatically. "Tomorrow's your first day as a regular student! Aren't you at least a littlenervous that maybe you'll screw up and everyone will think you're some kind of freak?"

He was teasing and she knew it. But that didn't stop her from shooting him a nasty glare. "Kudo, I wouldn't give a _care_ what you or any of your foolish friends think of me. Social rankings mean far too much in today's society."

Shinichi frowned, suddenly curious. "But doesn't it matter? Even a little? I mean, you've never been at a high school before, have you?"

"Kudo, you need to learn that the only people that shouldmatter are the ones who don't label you before truly understanding you." Her companion hesitated, thinking her words over.

"I suppose you're right," he said after a long pause, "But... you're not nervous at all?"

"Of course I'm nervous," she replied quietly. "But because I'm not quite sure what's in store for me. Living in the Organization's clutches for so long... my life would take a completely new direction once I become a high school student." Shinichi placed a reassuring hand upon her shoulder.

"The transition's easy enough," he stated very simply. "And you'll really enjoy high school. Some people say it's the best four years of a person's life. And I'm sure you'll fit in... I remember when I was still in high school –"

"You were a socially inept child who knew far too much for his own good?"

"No!" Shinichi shouted defensively. "Though you're right about knowing way too much. I tried too hard, too," he chuckled. "Once, my first year at high school, I had wanted so badly to impress Ran. We were all helping my teacher move classrooms and I offered to carry a particularly heavy bookshelf down the stairs. Well, _somehow_ my pant leg got stuck beneath it on the way downstairs and I fell two stories down, dragging that stupid piece of furniture with me! 'Luckily', according the sensei, my body was able to cushion the shelf and it didn't break. They had to find the janitor to help get the hundred pound shelf off me and unstuck from my pants!" Shiho couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

"Wow, the famous Kudo Shinichi is really a huge klutz!" she managed to gasp between her laughter. Shinichi, who certainly wasn't prepared for this reaction, stared at her with a wide-eyed, slightly pleased expression. _Wow. I actually made her laugh. And it's not a bad sound._

This was the best they had ever gotten along. Not wishing for the moment to end, Shinichi racked his brain for other possibly funny (and rather embarrassing) stories he could share with her. They spent the next half hour sharing laughs at his expense. He had had more fun than he'd have liked to admit. At last, things began to quiet down and the two teenagers rested comfortably on the couch.

"You seem to have had an interesting youth," Shiho commented, turning her head to peer at Shinichi.

He chuckled and said without thinking, "It got a lot more interesting once I met you."

_Well, that sounded weird._Shinichi was a little shocked at himself. Shiho looked at him strangely.

"My life was pretty bland before I met you as well," she smirked at him.

A pleasant silence settled around them once more. After what only seemed like minutes to him, Shinichi glanced at his watch to find that it was already 1:58 AM.

"Shoot," he muttered, sitting up. "Shiho, it's getting la–" Shinichi stared at the woman beside him. She was fast asleep. He felt a smile tug at his lips. _Wow. She looks so calm... Almost like a real-life Sleeping Beauty._

Shinichi stood up, yawned, and picked her up, placing his arms beneath her and bringing her body to his torso. He slowly made his way upstairs to Shiho's room and placed her gently on her bed, making sure to drape two layers of blankets over her in case of the cold. Grinning softly to himself, he left the room.

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**A/N: DONE AT LAST! Sorry I took so long! In my defense, last week was the LAST week of school and I had finals to worry about! But on the bright side, SUMMER IS HERE AT LAST! Now, I'll devote MUCH more time to this story! Thanks to all my readers! PLEASE REVIEW!**

**There's a reference to my story, "Sleeping Beauty", in case you cared.**

**Btw, for all you Ran/Shinichi fans... YOUR WELCOME (:**

**For some of the Shiho/Shinichi moments in this chapter, I got inspiration from the novel "Beastly" by Alex Flinn. It's an AMAZING romance, and I suggest you read it if you have the chance!**

**Thanks~**

**[Edited as of May 22, 2012]**


	4. Royalty

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Hi guys! After I uploaded the third and previous chapter, I had the sudden urge to continue writing immediately! I wish I'd have that kind of motivation more often...**

**Anyways, as you may have already deduced from previous chapters, it's time for SCHOOL for Shiho and Shinichi! Haha, kind of ironic, considering school just ended for me... (Thank GOD!)**

**Okay, so in the last chapter, I gave you guys some Shinichi/Ran AND Shinichi/Shiho. Unfortunately, I'm a horribly cruel person, and I don't like Shinichi/Shiho's relationship to move at such a fast pace... so this chapter will have less Shinichi/Shiho moments. SORRY!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan/Case Closed. (:**

(3rd Person's POV)

The first thing Shinichi noted the minute he woke up the following morning was that he was neither in the Detective Agency, or even his own bed – and that it unusually bright. He also noticed a certain overweight scientist standing directly over him.

"AH!" Shinichi screamed, causing the old man to yelp and jump in surprise.

"No need to scare me like that, Shinichi...," Hakase rubbed the back of his head warily.

"Sorry, Professor. You startled me!" The young detective sat up, stretching. He was laying on a rather lumpy couch in Agasa's living room. "Where's Shiho?" he asked. Agasa raised an eyebrow – probably at the use of Shiho's first name by Shinichi.

"Getting ready," he replied. "You may want to as well, Shinichi. School starts in forty-five minutes."

"Really? Shoot," Shinichi grimaced at the thought of starting school again. He kicked off the borrowed blanket and ran out of the house, slamming the door in his haste.

In a little less than thirty minutes, Shinichi had managed to shower, get dressed, pack all his materials, and eat breakfast when a heard a knock on his door. _Who on earth –?_he thought as he rushed to answer it.

"Ran!" He had completely forgotten they always walked to school together. The young woman stood outside, smiling sweetly at him.

"Hurry, Shinichi! Or we're going to be late!" she said.

"Alright, alright!" Shinichi quickly grabbed his coat and ran outside, closing the door behind him. Ran began to walk towards the school. "Wait!" Shinichi stopped her, "I'll be right back!"

He ran to Agasa's house and rang the door hurriedly. He was greeted by a frowning Shiho, already dressed in her new Teiten High School uniform.

"Yes, Kudo-kun?"

"Come walk to school with me and Ran," Shinichi said, grabbing her shoulder and steering her out before she had much time to oject.

"I –"

"Hey Ran! Shiho's gonna walk with us!" Shinichi exclaimed, still pushing her along.

"Oh." Ran's grin faded slightly, but she recovered quickly, and sent Shiho a warm smile. "Good morning, Shiho! You're going to be in our class?"

"Good morning," Shiho nodded in response, "And yes, I suppose I am."

"I see."

The rest of the walk was fairly uneventful. Shinichi and Ran made small talk while he and Shiho bickered somewhat. At last, they reached Teitan High School. Just as they were about to enter the building, Ran pulled Shinichi back.

"Shinichi..," she began, looking down awkwardly. "I... Aren't you going to ask me out anytime soon?" Her companion looked rather surprised.

"Of course, Ran," her boyfriend smiled at her. "How about dinner tonight? We could try out that new Italian restaurant."

"Alright!" she agreed, satisfied. "See you tonight!"

"See you," Shinichi replied. "Oh, and Ran, I'm probably going to need to see the teacher so I'll catch up with you later!"

"Alright, Shinichi," she hesitated for a minute longer, as if wanting to say or do something. At last, Ran gave him one last smile before heading to class.

Shinichi grinned back, and entered his old school to find Shiho waiting patiently inside for him. He looked at her questioningly. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm _new_, remember?"

"Oh." He smiled, grabbing her hand and towing her to the school's headmaster's office, knocking on the door softly.

"Come in."

They entered. Sitting behind a large, oak desk was a portly, kind looking man. He reminded Shiho very much of Hakase, with the lack of hair on his head and his rounded glasses. Glancing around the office, she noticed they were not the only occupants; another student in uniform stood no less than five feet away from them. He was around their age, with a handsome face and blondish hair contributing to his rather foreign look–

Shiho gasped. The young man noticed and turned to give her a wink – the second one she would've received from him in the past week, as a matter of fact. Shinichi glanced at her, confused.

"Ah, Kudo. I see you've returned," the headmaster peered at Shinichi through his glasses, smiling.

"Yes, Nakamura-sensei," the young detective responded. "I thought it'd be best to check in with you before heading to class."

"Of course," the principle nodded, and turned to Shiho. "Miyano Shiho, I presume?"

"Yes, sensei," Shiho said.

"Thank you for calling in ahead of time. Now, you and Hakuba Saguru here will both follow Kudo-kun to your class."

This time it was Shinichi's turn to be surprised. "Hakuba!" The young man took his eyes off of Shiho and turned towards Shinichi.

"Kudo," he nodded, smirking. "I haven't seen you for quite some time now." Shinichi frowned. He remembered Hakuba being involved with one or two cases before...

"Well, I'm glad you two are already acquainted," Nakamura-sensei grinned over his paperwork. "Considering you will all be in the same class, I'd definitely suggest you get to know each other better." He paused, filing through some letters for a minute. "Ah, Kudo-kun, considering you have missed so many days, your sensei and I have decided that it'd be best for you to forget about any make-up work and start fresh – just as our two new students will be doing." He flashed a wink at Shiho and Saguru.

"Thank you, sensei."

"Well, if that's all," the headmaster handed the three students a small stack of papers. "Your teacher requested that I give this to you. Any worksheets or classwork you may need will be in this stack." The three students bowed before exiting the office.

"Follow me," Shinichi said. He didn't know what to make of Saguru being in his class. He turned, frowning, to the young man. "What brings you to Japan, Hakuba?"

"My father is the Chief of Police," Saguru replied with a smirk. "He was transferred over to Beika for some rather important investigations. I followed, naturally. Not to mention, there seems to be an increase of KID heists in this area..." He turned to Shiho, pausing to gently kiss her left hand. "And how about you, Miss Miyano? You seem like you would belong in England, perhaps, where I'm from."

"Well, I –"

"We're here!" Shinichi announced, interrupting their conversation. He politely opened to door to their classroom for Shiho (nearly closing it on Saguru). The class, which up until this point, had been seated quietly, erupted into loud conversation.

"Kudo? Is that Kudo?"

"No way! Wait – who's the girl? She's kinda hot!"

"Omigosh, Ran, lookit that new guy! He is CUTE!" (And here Shinichi shot Sonoko a dirty look.)

"Shinichi! Shinichi, sit here!" Ran jumped up and down in attempt to make her voice heard over her classmates.

"Alright, class! Settle down!" The sensei screamed at the top of her lungs. Everyone quieted. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Yes, Mr. Kudo has indeed returned. We also have two new transfer students! Please welcome Hakuba Saguru and Miyano Shiho. Now you three may take a seat anywhere you'd like – so long as it's not occupied, of course."

"Shinichi! Over here!" Ran smiled happily at her friend, who gladly proceeded to take a seat next to her. The other two soundlessly took seats side-by-side near the window, ignoring their other classmates.

"Now class," the teacher began once things calmed down, "Please take out your textbooks and turn to page 387..."

Their first day back at school had begun.

By the time school ended, the sun was still bright and high in the sky. The joyful chattering of high school and primary school students could be heard as they exited their classrooms. A gentle breeze was blowing across the campus. It was a beautiful afternoon.

The perfect day for a romantic date, Ran Mouri smiled to herself as she headed out of school. Her childhood friend (now boyfriend) strode alongside her left, while her best friend, Suzuki Sonoko, was on her right. Everything seemed just right.

Lagging not too far behind was Shiho. Her face impassive, she stood apart slightly from the trio. Her eyes were focused solemnly upon the ground.

_I don't know why I even agreed to this. Here I am back in high school like he insisted upon so badly and yet it's like I'm not even here... Of course. I should've seen this coming._

Shiho tore her eyes from the ground, glancing towards Shinichi and his little group – now joined by the majority of the soccer team. He laughed at something one of his old friends said. He didn't notice the young woman standing away from the group bite her lip regretfully. However, another rather attractive detective did.

"Hey, what's the matter Miyano-san?" Hakuba Saguru excused himself from a group of new friends (most of them girls) and headed towards Shiho. She gave him a cold look, hoping it'd make him leave. To her dismay, it did no such thing. Instead, Saguru's smile widened and he held out an arm, offering to carry her bag. Shiho hesitated, wishing to show no signs of weakness or submission. At last, she gave in and handed it to him.

"Whoever said anything was the matter?" she continued on her path home.

He followed. "Well, the expression on your face was my first clue..," Saguru replied smoothly with a smirk, their bags slung over both his shoulders. Shiho gave an exasperated sigh. _Would anyone ever give me a break?_

But there was something about his grin... Something about the way he walked and offered to carry her bag. It actually reminded her of Kudo somewhat.

Shiho shook her head. "I regret ever going back to high school." Why was she telling him this? She had no idea. At least he's _listening,_she thought, scowling at the image of Kudo, probably laughing and being reunited with all his popular friends.

"Why is that?" Saguru walked quicker to keep up with her brisk pace.

"I don't fit in," she answered simply. He looked surprised.

"Sure you do!" Saguru laughed. "I overheard more than _half_ the class asking to show you around! It was you who turned them down!" Shiho rolled her eyes.

"I don't mean it like that." It was true. She had indeed become instantly popular – like some shiny new toy for everyone to play with. It was a lot like her first day at Teiten Primary when she was still Haibara Ai.

"Then what do you mean?" God, this guy was persistent. _If only he and Kudo got along better..._Shiho grimaced at the possibility.

"The environment, the people... it's just not for me." Shiho shrugged, sending Saguru a glare once more. "Although if you'd excuse me, I believe I'm done allowing you to pry into my personal life." She quickened her pace once more, until she reached Agasa's home at last. As she was about to unlock the door, she heard a long whistle from behind her. Whipping around, Shiho glowered at the young man who was standing in awe at the sight of her home.

"May I _help_ you?"

Saguru was grinning broadly. "Are you forgetting something, your Highness?" He held her school bag in his right arm. "Lovely house, by the way." She snatched the bag from him and headed inside without another word, leaving the door open for reasons even she did not know. Of course, she heard following footsteps behind her.

"I hope you don't mind," the rather annoying detective smirked at Shiho's irritated expression. The two had a silent staring contest for a second or two. She could have kicked him out. She knew if she shot him her coldest death glare, he'd be likely to either faint or at least leave immediately. But she didn't. All because of that _stupid_, oh-so-familiar smirk. At last, Shiho let out a sigh and made her way into the kitchen.

"Juice?" she offered. Saguru's gaze softened considerably as he followed her to help with the glasses.

"That would be very greatly appreciated, your Highness," he bowed.

Shiho couldn't help but smile.

**A/N: Yay! Finished! Sorry, I've decided to make it a little shorter than some of the previous chapters.. I don't know, when I have the urge to finish, I finish. Haha (:**

**Anyways, I KNOW I added mostly Shiho/Saguru and you guys may be able to tell where this is going... well, don't worry! It's already posted on my profile, the true pairing of this fiction! Go check it out! But I think it may be obvious anyways.**

**Um, what else..? Oh yeah, the headmaster/principal (I didn't know what to call him) had a completely RANDOM name... I just looked up a list of common Japanese names and picked one! [;**

**Shiho is (quite obviously) my favorite character, and I support not only Shiho/Shinichi, but also Shiho/Kaito and even Shiho/Saguru (as you can see, even though they have never truly met in the series). But if anyone wishes for me to portray a pairing other than Shiho/Shinichi, you only need to ask! I'll see what I can do!**

**PLEASE REVIEW (I don't know HOW much I have to stress that! I really don't mind if you've reviewed once... twice... three times, whatever! Reviews make authors VERY happy!)**

**Thanks for reading! (:**

**[Slightly edited as of May 27, 2012]**


	5. Foolishness

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Hello again! Finally, chapter 5 is here! I had some major writer's block for this chapter.. still do, as a matter of fact! I'll get over it eventually! (I hope...) **

**First of all, thanks for all of you who reviewed! I really appreciate it! The more people review, the more motivated I am to update sooner! Remember that! **

**Secondly, I want to thank my wonderful friend roankun once more for being ever so helpful in correcting my work! (I think I'll just include a thanks for roankun in every chapter! Haha.)**

**And lastly, I've gotten one or two concerned reviews about the last chapter about the Saguru/Shiho relationship. I believe I included a quick little note at the end saying that this fiction is 100% focused upon Shinichi/Shiho! Don't freak out guys! Just wanted to add some drama! Okay? LOL.**

**Alright, here we go! Hope you enjoy~**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan/Case Closed. (:**

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(3rd Person POV)

"Shiho! Hakase! I'm home!" Kudo Shinichi's voice echoed throughout the professor's residence. Although it was not truly his house, Shinichi felt Agasa's was the closest thing he had to home. He already dropped his school things off at his own mansion no less than 5 minutes ago, after he was finally able to shoo off a large group of his old friends.

"Hakase?" Shinichi called again. There was no answer. He shrugged off his jacket and proceeded to the kitchen, where muffled voices could be heard. He poked his head through the doorway, "Shih–?" He immediately stopped. Shiho was in the kitchen, alright. And so was..

"Hakuba!" Shinichi growled, his eyes narrowing. The young, blonde detective grinned at him. _Why, that little–!_

"Ah, we heard you come in, Kudo," Saguru said. He was seated at the table directly across from Shiho, who was mid-way through taking a sip out of her coffee. Her face registered an emotionless expression, although Saguru was still grinning in a rather annoyingly superior way.

"Well, I'm sorry if I _interrupted_ something," Shinichi apologized, not sounding the least bit sorry at all. Shiho frowned. Saguru started looking rather uncomfortably back and forth from the two.

"I hope you don't mind me asking," the very angry detective continued, "but what exactly is your business here, Hakuba?"

"I –"

"He was having a drink with me," Shiho interrupted, speaking for the first time. Her eyes were flashing dangerously. _Why is he acting this way?_ "Nothing illegal about that, is there? Tantei-san?"

"_No_." Shinichi bit his lip, unaware of the source or reason for this newly found anger. "But I'd much rather you stay away from him." Shiho scoffed.

"Oh!" Saguru stood up abruptly, as if in sudden realization. He was gaze was locked intently with Shinichi's, and he seemed... apologetic? "I'm deeply sorry, Kudo... I didn't realize at all that you two were together."

"I –What?"

"No, we are _definitely_ not."

"Well, then...," their guest looked extremely confused. "I wouldn't see why..."

Shiho sighed. "Kudo is just being dense. We are _not_ dating. We never were. He is with _Ran,_" she stated a little firmer than needed. Shinichi winced. _No, I'm not... _he wanted to say. But it was absolutely true. Instead, he nodded his head in agreement.

"I see." Saguru seemed unconvinced. Nevertheless, he turned to Shiho, smiling once more. "Well, in that case, how would you like to go out with me, Shiho?" Shiho looked somewhat surprised.

"No!" Shinichi cried all of a sudden. _Did I just say that? _He slowly turned his head, preparing himself to meet Shiho's burning eyes. However, what he saw intrigued him. She wasn't mad. At least, she wasn't _glaring_. Instead, the young blonde scientist was giving him a strange look. Was it... confusion? Or amusement?

"Why is that, Kudo-kun?" she asked softly, without a hint of anger in her voice.

"I..." At a loss for words, Shinichi shook his head, defeated. "Never mind. I'll just... I'll just leave then." He exited the kitchen, leaving behind a bewildered Saguru and a frowning Shiho.

_I can't believe I just blurted that out! _Shinichi thought to himself, taking a seat on the couch in which he and Shiho talked upon only last night. _I must be losing every last bit of rational thought left inside me.._

His instinctive sleuthing abilities kicked in as he attempted to listen closely to the conversing pair in the kitchen – but to no avail. All he heard were faint voices. At last, after what seemed like hours, Saguru entered the living room, heading for the front door. He gave Shinichi one last smirk before putting on his shoes and leaving.

Still glaring, the young teenager quickly turned, making his way back into the kitchen. Shiho's back was turned to him, but he could hear the water running in the sink. She was washing the dishes.

"That Hakuba guy seems pretty rude," Shinichi muttered, trying to get her attention. To his amazement, he heard a stifled chuckle. "What?"

"Nothing." Shiho turned to face him. "He seemed pretty nice to me." She cocked her head slightly to the right, smirking.

"Well, of course, _you'd_ think so."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"Considering the fact that he was completely _flirting_ with you –" Shinichi said fiercely.

Shiho raised an eyebrow. "Well –"

"And you were flirting _back_!"

"I –"

"Now that he asked you out –"

"Kudo-kun–"

"I can't believe you two are _dating_!"

"KUDO!" Shiho shouted. "Be quiet!" Shinichi shut up. Rolling her eyes in exasperation, his companion turned once more, and continued to wash the dishes. "Not up to your usual standards, I'm afraid. Only 2 out of 4 correct." Still smirking, Shiho went on, "Yes, he was rather romantically interested in me. And yes, Hakuba-kun did indeed ask me to go on a date with him. However.." She glanced back at the baffled detective. "I do not recall 'flirting' with him, nor do I remember ever agreeing to go out with him."

"...What?" Shinichi stared at her, wide-eyed. "You said no?"

"Correct."

"But.. why?"

Shiho glared at him, and began placing the cups back on their proper shelves. "Because I am not attracted to him in the way you are thinking."

"But–"

"Kudo, what is this sudden interest in my love life?" That question alone was enough to surprise Shinichi into silence. _She's completely right... Why...?_

He shrugged truthfully, flashing his trademark grin. "I don't know. Detective instincts, I guess?"

"I see."

"Shiho...?"

"Yes, Kudo-kun?"

Shinichi frowned. "Shinichi," he corrected.

"Shinichi," Shiho sighed. "What is it?"

"Well – if you aren't attracted to Hakuba... then... who are you attracted to?" Shinichi cursed himself at the way he squeaked the last part of the question.

Shiho looked genuinely taken back. "I – what's it to you?"

"Nothing! I just... wanna know."

She smiled ruefully. "Well... I believe it to be waste of time to be meddling with things such as the human heart."

"How come?" Shinichi pressed on.

"Well," Shiho sighed, " 'Love' is indefinite... Vague, undependable, and ambiguous.. However, it is also inevitable... And quite unconditional." Shinichi only stared. _What! _"If we seek after something as evasive as 'love', we are likely to end up either searching forever, or emotionally wounded."

The young man let out a nervous chuckle. "C'mon, Shiho. It's only love. Wouldn't you think... that if you care enough for someone, the pain is worth it?"

"Absolutely."

"But I thought you said –"

"I meant what I said, Kudo. Only the foolish fall in love."

"So you've never been in love?" Shinichi asked insistently, "Wouldn't you think that it's a great feeling, though?"

She chose to ignore the first question, smiling remorsefully and stating very clearly, despite the softness in her voice, "I believe that the greatest love is the kind that can never happen." And she left the kitchen, leaving a perplexed Shinichi to his very confused thoughts.

_Only the foolish fall in love? _Shiho thought to herself sadly, with a slight trace of the same sorrowful smile left upon her lips. _Then I suppose I am nothing more than a fool. _

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**A/N: Short? So sorry! I just felt that it was a good place to leave off. I also apologize for the late update! My excuse? I was camping for 3 days where there was absolutely no internet connection! (:**

**Anyways, I thought this chapter was a little weird... I've just had this idea in my head where Shiho and Shinichi debate over love and well... here it is! I'm sorry it's very irrelevant to the plot... And um, very soap-opera-ish... Okay, overall, it was a bad chapter. My apologies. **

**Chapter 6 will (hopefully) include the Detective Boys (have you been wondering what happened to them?)! I just wanted to provide a little closure for our favorite 7-year old kids! Chapter 6 should also include Shinichi's date with Ran! DON'T WORRY! I am NOT a ShinRan fan! Just gotta add something about their relationship right? Otherwise, the story wouldn't make much sense...  
**

**Thanks again! PLEASE REVIEW! [;**


	6. Embraces

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Hello! Chapter 6 is up! Firstly, I just wanna apologize for the... erm... shortness and suckiness of chapter 5! Haha, anyways, a couple more things for those of you who actually READ author's notes!**

**I promised slight Ran/Shin in this chapter. I keep my promises. (: **

**What else...? Oh yes, Chapter 3 was edited somewhat. There was a part at the very end that I was having second thoughts with (due to the help of some very kind reviewers) and I've fixed it. Just wanna let you guys know. (Not that you cared.)**

**Also, SOOOO sorry for the late update! I was on vacation for a week! It was a lot of fun, but well.. back to business I guess! xD**

**Alright, here we go! Enjoy! And don't forget to review! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan/Case Closed. (:**

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(3rd Person POV)

Ran Mouri was humming as she rifled through her closet. Pulling out numerous skirts and dresses, she just couldn't seem to find anything to satisfy her. She let out an aggravated sigh and grabbed a towel hanging off the edge of her mattress. Ran proceeded into the bathroom to take a quick shower, still humming quite joyfully.

Fifteen minutes later, she was in her room once more, rummaging through a mountain of clothes in a fluffy bathrobe. "This is useless," Ran groaned. Grabbing the phone, she hurriedly dialed her best friends number.

"Hello? Ran?"

"Hi, Sonoko," she began nervously. "I, uh, need your help..."

"With what?"

"Well, I need something to wear."

Sonoko scoffed. "Why? So you can sleep in style?"

"Eh.. no...," Ran chuckled hesitantly. "Well, I.. er, I have a date with Shinichi..." Her voice trailed off. But Sonoko had heard.

"WHAT?" she bellowed, "You have a _date _with Shinichi and you didn't _tell me_?"

"It's not a big deal," Ran sniffed.

"NOT A BIG DEAL?" Sonoko yelled, "Whaddaya _mean_, it's NOT – "

"Oi, Sonoko!" Ran screamed back, distraught. "Alright, I'm sorry I didn't tell you! But you need to help me! He's taking me to that new fancy Italian restaurant! And I don't know what to wear!" She glanced at the clock. It was already 6:30. Shinichi was coming at 7:00.

"Fine..."

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Shinichi stood outside the Mouri's apartment, fixing his tie. He checked his watch – 7:07 PM it read. At last, he knocked. Ran immediately pulled open the door. She did not look happy.

"You are _late,_" she scolded.

"Sorry," her date replied wearily, "Only a few minutes!" Truthfully, he had been with Shiho before he suddenly noticed it was already 6:50 and had to rush over to his mansion in a hurry to get ready.

"Well, then this better be worth it," Ran muttered huffily, already stomping down the stairs.

"It will be!" Shinichi rolled his eyes. The restaurant was only ten minutes walking distance from the Mouri Detective Agency. They walked in silence.

"Shinichi..," Ran spoke up quietly. "What do you think of my outfit?"

"Huh?" Shinichi took a quick look at her floral skirt and elegant red top. _Of course! _He could have hit himself. _How can I forget to compliment her outfit? _

"Shinichi..?"

"It's lovely," he said, flashing her his trademark smile. She seemed pleased. They settled into a rather awkward silence once more.

"So.. tell me about your case. The one you had to leave for." The young detective shifted uncomfortably at her accusing tone.

"It wasn't a big deal," he shrugged. "There was... er, this Organization. And I had a part in taking them down." Shinichi didn't know why he didn't tell her everything. But whenever he thought of it, Shiho's words would ring in his ears..

_Our little secret._

Ran quickly broke him out of his trance, "What was Shiho-san's part?"

"Eh?" The question caught him off guard. "Well, the Organization was trying to track her down for.. reasons. So she found me and we were able to slowly infiltrate it."

"Oh." They were spared from yet another awkward silence as they reached the diner. It was a gorgeous brick building with fancy outdoor tables and a luscious garden overflowing with flowers. The restaurant was already filled with people chatting happily. Shinichi quickly informed the waitress of their reservation, and she lead them to a secluded area near the garden.

"Wow, Shinichi! It's beautiful!" Ran gasped. Her date grinned. But Shinichi couldn't help but feel a strange nagging feeling at the back of his head. Despite how well everything was going, he couldn't help but feel unsatisfied.

The rest of the date went fairly well. To Shinichi, it seemed rather like a blur. They had eaten, talked, and strolled around the park a bit. But...

_It doesn't feel the same, _Shinichi thought to himself as he walked Ran home. The strangling silence had returned, but the young detective was too immersed in his thoughts to care. _Something's changed... What happened to us? _

Finally, they reached the Detective Agency. Ran was standing uncomfortably with her hand on the doorknob. "Well...," she said, her eyes locked on her feet, "Goodnight, Shinichi." She paused. Her childhood friend smiled at her and left with one last wave. Sighing, Ran went inside.

* * *

Shinichi was in a hurry to get home. He just needed to think for a moment. Although the date had gone well, it seemed... lacking. He mentally slapped himself as he crossed the street. O_nly a couple months ago, I would've done _anything_ to go on a date with Ran! And now I'd rather be at home than with her! _At last, he spotted his house. He hesitated at the gate. Making a sudden 180 degree turn, he headed to Agasa's residence.

Shinichi knocked softly, as it was nearly 9:45 and he knew the Professor tended to sleep early. A certain strawberry blonde opened the door, eyebrows raised.

"Hakase's fast asleep," she stated simply.

"Ah, well, can I still come in?" Shiho shrugged, and stepped aside, allowing room for him to enter. "Thanks."

"How was your.. date with Ran?" Shiho asked, trying to put on a teasing smile which came out much more like a grimace.

"Er...," Shinichi rubbed his temple tiredly, "Truthfully, it went well... But I just didn't enjoy it – almost at all."

"And why is that?" His companion asked curiously.

The young detective paused. Why on earth was he telling Shiho that his date went bad? He didn't need anything to be anymore complicated than it already was. And why should she even care?

_But she _does _care, _a small voice said in the back of his head, noting Shiho's slightly curious expression under her indifferent mask. _Besides, _the voice continued, _you want to get this off your back. Something's bothering you – and you need to tell someone. _

Shinichi took a deep breath, "There's something wrong." Shiho looked confused. "With me and Ran's relationship," he added.

Shiho almost laughed. She would've, if it weren't for that deadly serious expression on Shinichi's face. "Whatever could be wrong?"

"I have no idea," he shrugged. "It's almost like – " Some kind of imaginary alarm started to go off in his head. _No, too much information! _But he continued anyways, " – it's like we just don't – " Shinichi made some strange hand gestures, flailing his arms around confusedly, " – we don't 'click' anymore."

Shiho couldn't hold it in any longer – she burst out laughing. "What on _earth _are you rambling about, Shinichi?" She suddenly clamped her hand to her mouth. The love-confused young man next to her gaped.

"You– you called me Shinichi!" he exclaimed, as if he just won the lottery, "And I – I didn't have to remind you! You called me by my first name!" His mouth had broken into an unbelievably wide smile.

"I – so what?" Shiho said. "I –"

"Shinichi? Is that you?" A very drowsy voice called them from upstairs. They had woken up Agasa.

"Er, sorry, Hakase," Shinichi apologized, "Go back to sleep, we won't disturb you again."

"It's 'ight," the old man mumbled, stumbling back into his room once more.

Shiho shot Shinichi a glare. "You woke the Professor up with your loud, obnoxious screaming!" she whispered as loud as she could without waking Hakase up once more.

"Hey!"

"Shh!"

"Fine!" Shinichi half screamed, half whispered. He began to drag Shiho out of the house by the arm.

"Just _what _do you think you're doing?"

"Going somewhere where I can yell in peace!" he retorted, still pulling her away from the house. "Ah.. this is more like it." They had reached a fairly large park just a block from their homes.

"Kudo?"

"Yes?"

"You're cutting off the circulation from my arm."

"Ah, sorry." He released his death grip on her arm and sat on a small bench overlooking the lake. Shinichi let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He flashed Shiho a weary smile, "Come sit with me."

Rolling her eyes, the young woman obliged. The pair sat side by side, watching the glistening reflection of moonlight on the lake. It would've been romantic, if Shinichi had not had his head in his hands and if Shiho had not been frowning so bitterly. Finally, the young man lifted his head.

"What do I do?" he asked her.

"Why are you asking me?" Shiho was still frowning towards the lake, not quite meeting his pleading eyes.

"I don't know," he replied truthfully.

"What don't you know?"

"...Anything."

Shiho smirked. "Kudo-kun, how are you going to solve your problem if you do not even understand what the problem _is_?"

Shinichi grimaced. "Like I said, I didn't really feel any sort of connection with Ran. Which is odd, if you ask me, because, I mean, it's _Ran_." Shiho nodded slowly, prompting him. "And she _waited _for me to come back – and well, now I'm back – but I don't understand what happened to us. It's like..." His voiced trailed off.

"Like what..?" The young strawberry blonde asked softly. She had never seen Shinichi quite like this. However, she couldn't help but feel the tiniest spark of hope. _No, _she told herself, _He's just.. emotionally confused. Just tell him what he wants to hear and send him back to _her _where he belongs.._

"Its like..," Shinichi sucked in a breath, "Like I don't love her anymore.. Or I never did."

Shiho stared. "Impossible," she muttered after several long minutes of discomfort on Shinichi's behalf.

"I know," he frowned thoughtfully. "Wait – what do you mean?"

"You love her," Shiho said simply.

"I... I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" The young woman began to look extremely confused – and slightly frantic.

"I don't know!" She was starting to make Shinichi somewhat hysterical as well. "Why? What's wrong with not knowing!"

"I – nothing," Shiho muttered, "Sorry."

"It's okay," Shinichi still looked quite unsettled.

Shiho quickly regained her composure. "You love her," she said rather firmly. "You need to give it time. You two have been away from each other for quite some time..." Here she felt a pang of guilt. "Listen, Kudo – " He flinched at the use of his last name. " – before you shrunk, you loved her. A couple months ago, you still loved her. _Nothing _is going to suddenly change." She glared fiercely at him.

"Well, I guess you're ri– " He suddenly stopped with a look of panic on his face. "Shiho – are you.. are you _crying_?"

"I – what? No." She hurriedly turned away from him. "No," she repeated sharply.

"Wha – yeah.. Yeah you are, Shiho," Shinichi murmured, softly wiping the glimmering trail of tears on her face with his thumb. "Why are you crying? Did I say something to hurt you?"

"I'm not crying," she spoke stubbornly.

Shinichi chuckled, "Of course you're not."

And he embraced her.

Shiho had never truly been hugged by anyone other than her sister; if they had tried, she would've automatically shot them the worst possible glare and push them into the nearest well. But this was different... It was Shinichi. For a while, she arms lay limply by her sides in shock as his strong arms wrapped themselves protectively around her. At last, she brought her arms around his neck, trying to stop the flow of tears leaking uncontrollably from her eyes. _No. Be strong..._

"I am so sorry," he spoke tenderly into her ear without breaking the embrace. She shook her head against the crook of his neck.

"No. Don't be."

They could have stayed there for eternity, had Shiho not pushed Shinichi off gently. _I can never allow myself the pleasure again, _she thought sadly to herself, standing up and starting to walk off quietly.

"Shiho..." She paused. Shinichi's faint voice halted her. Taking a deep breath (and making sure her face was tear-free), she turned and smiled.

"Thanks, Shinichi."

And she turned away before catching a glimpse of the broad smile that formed on the young detective's face as he watched her leave.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! Chapter Six is COMPLETE! FINALLY. Holy cow.. it's been over a week since my last update! Ah, well, like I said, I was on vacation.. Sorry about that! **

**Anyways, I'm hoping to get the Detective Boys back into the story soon (maybe you're all wondering what happened to them). Any ideas? **

**Anyways, I'm somewhat pleased with how the chapter turned out. Please tell me how you feel about it! REVIEW! **

**Yours Truly ~ **


	7. Luxury

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Alright, so here is chapter 7 at last! I have to admit, I had some major writer's block writing this chapter. I had NO idea what to include.. All I knew was that I needed some closure with the Detective Boys. So I just want you guys to know, I was pretty much writing this chapter blindly – with no idea where I was taking it.. That's actually how I write most of my chapters. XD**

**Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or Case Closed. (:**

**

* * *

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(3rd Person POV)

That Friday seemed to progress unusually slowly. There wasn't a single student in Teiten High School who wasn't wishing the day could pass by sooner. 3:24 PM found Shinichi perched on the edge of his seat, listening to the sensei drone continuously about the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and watching the clock with narrowed eyes. He was not the only one. Even Shiho, despite her cool demeanor, found the intense heat to be a nuisance and stared blankly out the window, oblivious to anything else around her as she watched the sun already begin to slowly set. It was nearing winter-time and the days grew increasingly shorter.

"– and so, the treaty was renewed in 1905 and 1911 before it was terminated in 1923 due to the – "

_BRING!_

The entire class erupted into cheers and hurriedly stuffed their books into their bags, eager to leave school. Everyone chatted animatedly as they filed out of the classroom. Shinichi grinned widely and turned to Shiho, who still sat in her seat, looking out the window despite the bell. Ran had already been dragged off by Sonoko to get manicures or something obnoxiously girly of the sort. The young detective quietly made his way to Shiho's desk.

"Daydreaming?" he asked, cocking his head to the right and kneeling directly to her side.

Shiho smirked, "Something like that."

"Let's go." Shinichi beckoned towards the door. Nodding, his companion grabbed her schoolbag and followed him out of the building. The two walked side by side for about five short minutes before several disturbingly familiar voices reached their ears:

"The Detective Boys can solve any case!"

"– no problem is too hard for us –"

"– just leave us a message and we'll be_ on it_!"

The two teenagers shot each other a quick knowing glance, before turning the corner to find three 7-year old children passing out fliers to anyone who happened to pass by.

"Excuse me, nee-san. Would you like a flier?"

Shiho smiled softly at the young, brunette girl earnestly holding out a piece of paper to her.

"Yes, I'd love one."

"Thank you, miss." Another child nodded his head vigorously. He had brown hair and sharp eyes.

"We are the Detective Boys!" The second (and easily the fattest) boy smiled cheekily at Shinichi and Shiho. "We can solve any c– " He abruptly stopped.

"What is it, Genta-kun?" The girl questioned him.

"I – I..." The boy called Genta only stared wide-eyed at the two teens. He seemed to be thinking hard.

"It's rude to stare, Genta," the sharp-eyed boy reprimanded, turning to Shiho, "I apol –" He, too, suddenly paused with a strange, wide-eyed look. Quickly, Genta grabbed the other two by the wrist and they all began to whisper in a huddle. Shinichi raised an eyebrow and glanced at Shiho, who had the same amused expression.

"Ahem," the boy they were all familiar with as Mitsuhiko cleared his throat. "Er... by any chance, are you related to Haibara Ai-chan in any way?" He addressed Shiho. "And," he continued, turning to Shinichi, "Edogawa Conan-kun?"

Shiho gave Shinichi a quick look, "As a matter of fact, we're both distant cousins of Ai-chan and Conan-kun." They certainly could not deny it; the kids were seemingly smart enough to make the connection.

"Ah, that explains it," Mitsuhiko smiled at them, "Thank you. We were good friends of Conan and Haibara."

Shinichi nodded. "Well, it was nice to meet you three. Make sure to be home soon – it's getting dark."

Ayumi smiled and waved happily, "Okay! Good-bye!" The two high school students waved back before walking away.

"Well, that was a little strange." Shinichi laughed, relaxing as they stepped out of the kids' range of vision.

"It sure was," Shiho muttered as they turned a corner once more. They were immediately greeted by the wailing sound of several police sirens.

"Whoa."

The sun had pretty much set by then and the streets around them were surrounded in darkness. However, with the addition of numerous patrol cars and flashing police sirens, the area was bathed in red and blue lights. They could barely make out a small building enclosed in a circle of police cars. A cloth-covered corpse was being pulled out in a stretcher.

Shinichi chuckled, "I was wondering when another case would show up."

Shiho shot him a look, "I had no idea how happy murders made you."

Ignoring her, the young detective (now with a strange light shining in his eyes) waved over to a round man who was taking notes in a small notebook. "Inspector Megure!" he called. The man turned, and the surprise was evident on his face.

"Shinichi!" he exclaimed, "You're back?"

"Yes, sir," Shinichi replied with a crooked grin.

"Ah, it's certainly good to see you again. I hope you will be able to shed some light on the incident – although it simply looks like a case of self-defense to me."

"I'd be glad to help, Inspector." The 17-year old nodded, starting to sound professional at once. He turned to Shiho, "Mind if I work on the case? It shouldn't take too long."

The young woman almost snorted, "Do you expect me to stop you? Go ahead. Knock yourself out. I need to go back and prepare dinner for the Professor."

"Thanks!" Shinichi said gratefully and waved as his companion continued off.

Megure looked at him questioningly. "Who was that, Shinichi?"

"Just a friend," Shinichi replied.

"It sure was nice of her to allow you to work on the case," the large man was watching him out of the corner of his eye, "You used to have plenty of trouble with Mouri-san's daughter when it came to allowing you to get carried away with one."

Shinichi looked relatively shocked. "Yeah, Shiho's pretty understanding when it comes to my detective work," he shifted his feet uncomfortably, "Ran, on the other hand, just isn't entirely used to it. She'll come round."

The Inspector nodded. "Well, why don't take a look at the crime scene? I'm sure you'll be able to either confirm or disprove some of the police's beliefs."

"I'm on it, Inspector," Shinichi said. _Excellent, _he thought to himself with pleasure. And he set off to do exactly what he did best – and he couldn't be happier.

* * *

"– it was quite simple, actually. I could tell by the blood splatter that the victim's head struck at a 10 degree angle, contrary to the suspect's statement about self-defense. Rather then performing a full roundhouse kick as he claimed, the victim was on the ground prior to being hit by the suspect – so it was a clear case of murder on his part." Shinichi said all of this in one breath, smirking at the blonde who was sitting impatiently with a magazine in hand, waiting for him to finish his dialogue.

"Very interesting, Kudo." Shiho sounded bored – but Shinichi hadn't failed to notice the slightly engrossed gleam in her eyes. She never really minded listening to his cases. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I'd like to get some sleep."

"Sure," Shinichi responded, taking a stand to leave. He paused, "Tell you what. How about we go out for lunch tomorrow?"

Shiho cocked an eyebrow. "Lunch?"

"Why not?" Shinichi replied coolly. "C'mon, lighten up. It's just lunch."

"Alright," the young woman shrugged, "But you're paying."

"Deal," Shinichi rolled his eyes. "See you later."

She didn't respond, only pausing to turn a page in the magazine she resumed reading. Shinichi grinned and left.

* * *

"Good morning, Agasa," Shinichi greeted the old man.

"Oh, hello, Shinichi!" he replied, carefully cracking an egg into a large pan over the stove. "Are you stopping by for brunch?"

"Just for a bit," the teenager said, "Shiho and I plan on getting something to eat." At that very moment, a yawning Shiho exited the bathroom, having just taken a shower. Without acknowledging their guest, she proceeded to grab a carton of milk from the refrigerator.

"Morning to you too," Shinichi scoffed, taking the newly poured glass of milk from her grasp and taking a generous sip.

"Kudo!" she snapped, snatching back the glass.

He sneered, "Whenever you're ready..."

Shiho glared at him. "On second thought," she said edgily, "let's go to that nice cuisine by the lake. That really _expensive _one."

Shinichi glared back. "Fine," he mumbled, quickly checking his wallet. He may be the son of two incredibly wealthy parents, but he was still only a teenager – and one without a steady paycheck. Shiho smirked.

* * *

"I suppose I'll just have glass of water," Shinichi told their waitress half an hour later.

"Same," Shiho nodded. As the young woman scurried off to take another customer's order, she took the time to admire the view. The two were seated at an outdoor table in one of Beika's finest diners. It was a simple old-fashioned brick building dubbed _The Blue Water Cafe _and was located close enough to the lake so that patrons could dine while overlooking it's glistening waters. It was one of the most luxurious and highest rated restaurants in the area – _and one of the most expensive_, Shinichi thought glumly.

But as Shiho began to complain dispassionately about the service, Shinichi couldn't help it – he smiled.

* * *

**A/N: A THOUSAND APOLOGIES FOR THE LONG UPDATE! Sooo sorry! But I have an excuse! I took a week-long trip to Oregon, but immediately after I came home, we left for Los Angeles for a few more days! SORRY!**

**Anyways, hope you like it! I promise a quicker update for Chapter 8! REVIEW! OR ELSE!**

**(:**


	8. Complications

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Hello again! (: Well, here is Chapter 8 as promised.. I really tried to update as quick as possible (especially since Chapter 7 was a very.. er.. slow update). XD**

**Just wanna say a quick THANK YOU SO MUCH to all my reviewers! If you like/dislike my story, and you don't review... well... You should! You guys need to let me know what you think! Otherwise, I lose interest and won't update for longer! No joke! And as for those of you who review each chapter, THANKS! This story depends on you guys! [:**

**Anyways, here we go! (:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan/Case Closed. (:

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"Ran! Ran!" Sonoko's high-pitched shrieks echoed across the High School campus. Shinichi resisted the temptation to roll his eyes as the two best friends collided excitedly.

"What is it, Sonoko?" Ran asked frantically, breaking away from the hug. It appeared she, too, did not realize the cause for her counterpart's enthusiasm. Sonoko grinned broadly and let out a shrill giggle, shooting Shinichi a obvious glance. She began to whisper merrily into Ran's ear. The only male, having had enough of their nonsense, stalked off to find Shiho, scowling deeply.

"Hey, Shi– ! Oh... Hello, Hakuba." Shinichi said wearily upon discovering the two teenagers conversing with one another, already in their seats.

"Morning, Kudo," Saguru nodded politely. Shiho quickly shot Shinichi a pointed look. Correctly interpreting the message, he rolled his eyes and smirked. _Don't worry... I'll behave, _he mouthed to the young woman.

"Anyways, as I was saying, did you happen to hear about the event that's going to take place later this winter?" Saguru continued, "Not a lot of people know yet; it hasn't been officially announced, but all the girls are saying there's going to be a Win– "

_BRING!_

"Ah," Saguru laughed sheepishly as the class began to file in. "I guess you'll have to hear about it later then." Shinichi shot Shiho a puzzled look before heading back to his seat near Ran.

"Shinichi! Guess what Sonoko just told me –"

"Alright, class. Settle down," their sensei said, "I honestly don't know what's gotten into you lately... However, let's get on with the lesson."

* * *

_BRING!_

The bell had rung again, and signaled the end of the school day. Shinichi watched glumly as his frenzied classmates rushed for the exits. Their sensei, however, had a different idea.

"STOP!" she bellowed, glowering at them behind her tiny rectangular glasses. "Now, I would ask you all to _please_ return to your seats so that I may make a very important announcement." More than half the class, eyes downcast, slowly made their ways back to their seats, muttering "gomenasai" under their breaths.

"_Ahem_," their now greatly aggravated teacher began, "As you may or may not have heard, majority of Teiten High's staff have decided that, in favor of the upcoming holidays, we shall organize a event in which students and their guests are allowed an opportunity to gather and socialize." Shinichi noticed Ran perk up in her seat at once, as if she knew exactly what was coming. Several of the other students shifted curiously in their seats as well.

"Teiten High's first annual Winter Gala will take place on the First of December. Now, let me inform you that it is a _formal_ occasion, and students are required to dress in their most decent attire and behave civilly. And _yes, _Mr. Fujita, it is a _ball_. Therefore, students are suggested to bring dates – " Sonoko let out a shrill giggle. Shinichi noticed most of the girls in the class clamping their hands over their mouths and struggling to stifle giggles themselves – Shiho was not included of course.

"It was begin promptly at 7:00 and end at 11:00," Sensei continued, choosing not to comment. "Any questions?" She scanned the classroom reproachfully. "No? Then you may go."

There was yet another rush as several of the students made a dash for the doors, this time chatting eagerly amongst themselves. Shinichi rolled his eyes and stood, surprised to find Ran still seated by his side, purposely trying hard to avoid his eyes.

"Hurry up, slowpoke!" he teased, carelessly swinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Right." The brunette immediately stood and the two friends proceeded to the door.

"Er, wait," Shinichi paused, holding out his arm to halt Ran. "Oi, Shiho! You coming or not?" The young blonde smirked.

"And I thought you had forgotten about me," she muttered, casting a glance in Ran's direction. "However," Shiho added, lowering her voice so that only Shinichi's careful ears managed to catch her every word, "I suggest you spend a little more alone time with your girlfriend... She doesn't look to happy now, does she?" Shinichi turned to Ran. Indeed, she was biting her lip almost dishearteningly.

"I suppose," he responded just as quietly. "See you later then."

"Something wrong, Ran?" Shinichi asked, giving her soft hand a quick squeeze as they left the classroom together.

"Oh, nothing." His girlfriend smiled up at him nicely – though his quick eyes still managed to catch the slightly worried expression that was on her face for a split-second.

"Honestly, Ran," Shinichi stopped directly in front of her, both hands grabbing her shoulders lightly, "We've been friends for years. And I'd think I'd know if something was bothering my girlfriend."

Ran blushed at the use of the word "girlfriend". But nevertheless, she shook her head, "It's honestly nothing, Shinichi!"

"Fine," the detective huffed, and continued walking. He suddenly stopped once more, a strange grin taking over his face.

"What is it now, Shinichi?" Ran pouted, obviously tired of bumping into him. Shinichi only smirked back. _Ah, I see! _he thought to himself, _I understand why she's so jumpy. She wants _me _to ask her to the ball! But she's too freaked out about it – I can't believe I've figured her out! Shiho would be so proud – _

"Shinichi!" Ran snapped, bringing him back to his senses at once. "You have this weird grin on your face! What is it?"

"Eh?" he said, "Oi, Ran. You're coming to the ball with me, right?" He waited, almost expecting her to break out in joy. However, he noticed that she bit her lip timidly before smiling and nodding politely.

"Of course, Shinichi."

* * *

Shinichi sat, straining his brain furiously, attempting to find a reason for Ran's odd behavior that afternoon. Shiho lounged lazily on the couch across from him, reading a magazine and occasionally sending the detective an amused glance. At last, she couldn't take it any longer.

"Something on your mind, tantei-san?" she wondered aloud.

Shinichi looked up at her. "Yeah," he murmured. "I, uh... I asked Ran to the Winter Ball."

Shiho frowned, biting her lip at the twinge of pain she felt when he said those words. Forcing an indifferent look on her face, she replied, "And?"

Shinichi frowned too. "What is it with you girls and your lip-biting?"

Shiho rolled her eyes. "Is that what Ran was doing that bothers you so much? Well, I'll have you know, girls tend to bite their lips when they're upset – or disappointed. What did you do now, Kudo?"

Shinichi caught a breath. "And what exactly are you disappointed about, Shiho?" he asked softly.

"I – wait, what?"

"You just bit your lip."

"No, I didn't."

"Yeah, you did."

"No. I did not."

"Yes. You did!"

"What are you going on about, Kudo?"

"But – oh, never mind!" Shinichi snarled, causing Shiho to smirk.

"And, pray tell, what did you do to upset your angel?"

Shinichi grimaced. "Don't call her that."

"Why not?" Shiho questioned grimly, "You would've."

"I – " Shinichi let out a sigh, "It's complicated."

Shiho laughed. "You're forgetting this is the woman who spent hours a night putting together intricate chemical formulas to form a complex drug that can actually slow the natural process of death." Her companion smiled wryly.

"You're right," he scratched the back of his head, "But... Ah, I'd rather just forget about it."

The young scientist raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Shiho sighed. "This is becoming a nightly ritual for us, isn't it? Why can't you go hang out at your own house?"

Shinichi chuckled, shrugging. "Well, since I'm not wanted here – " He stood and grabbed his coat, glaring pointedly at Shiho. " – I suppose I'll just leave."

The young woman smiled. "Hallelujah."

* * *

The very next morning, as Shiho arrived alone at school (she had left Shinichi so he could walk together with Ran), she was met with a pleasant – or perhaps, not so pleasant – surprise. The minute she set foot on the courtyard, she collided with a rather distraught Mister Kinji Fujita, who seemed even more distressed when he realized who he had bumped into.

"Ah, Miyano-san," he stumbled, very out of character for his usual flamboyant self. "My apologies... Actually, you were just the person I was looking for." He coughed, and quickly pulled himself together, flashing her a brilliant smile which hardly failed to make most girls melt. Shiho, on the other hand, lifted an eyebrow expectantly. Kinji faltered.

"Well, I – I just wanted to know if you'd be willing to go to the ball with me...," he lowered his gaze nervously.

Shiho was relatively shocked. Of course, she had hardly expected anyone to ask her to the Gala – actually, she didn't expect to go at all. But seeing Kinji stare at his feet anxiously... The outside of her lips twitched upward. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder, coercing him to meet her eyes. She felt oddly out of character as she did this; on normal occasions, she'd simply scowl at him and walk away. However, upon seeing the most troublesome and well... the _funniest_ student in her class shyly asking her to be his date... She wasn't _that _cold.

"Well, Fujita-kun," Shiho said, "I'm not quite sure if I'm planning to go. So it'll have to be a no for now."

It seemed to have turned out a lot better than he expected. Kinji nodded understandingly and flashed her another grin, before waving and hurrying back to his large group of friends, who were keenly trying to listen in.

Shiho frowned and made her way to class, silently thinking to herself that it would be a long day.

* * *

By the end of the day, Shiho was in quite a testy mood. At first, the requests to the ball were flattering (such as Kinji's), but Shiho soon found her patience wearing thin. The first couple offers she politely (or at least as politely as she could muster) declined. However, by the fourth offer, she had already forgotten several of her books in the science classroom, had to write a three-page long essay on a subject she was already very familiar with, and to top it all off, Shinichi had been with Ran the entire day, being the good boyfriend that he was and dutifully ignoring any other members of the opposite sex – including her. And so she couldn't help to snap at the poor boy who had asked her out, and watch him hastily scamper away under the intensity of her glower. Needless to say, by the time the bell rang, Shiho was not one to be trifled with.

"Bad mood, your Highness?" A certain blonde detective stepped in front of her, smirking knowingly, "Anything I could do to cheer you up?"

"I doubt it," Shiho said unconcerned, and continued walking as though he had not just interrupted her musings.

"Hmm," Saguru followed her thoughtfully. She was relieved he didn't pester her any further. However, her mood hardly increased as they stepped out of the school building – Shinichi and Ran were talking amongst their group of friends. Shiho deliberately avoided watching as Ran proceeded to grab Shinichi's hand shyly; he looked fairly surprised and scratched the back of his head nervously. Shiho began to walk faster.

"Hey, wait up!" Saguru jogged to keep up. "Listen, I gotta get to a meeting in five minutes – "

" – oh, by _all_ means, leave – "

"No, no – I need to ask you something."

Shiho stopped and raised an eyebrow (for about the tenth time that day). Saguru, in spite of this, looked unperturbed.

"Look, I – I know you're not interested in me at all – " Shiho almost snorted. " – but would you like to come to the ball with me? It'd be completely unromantic!" Saguru added hastily upon seeing Shiho's disbelieving expression.

Shiho rolled her eyes, preparing to turn him down just as she had the last four boys. As she did so, something quickly caught her eye. Shinichi had draped his arm casually around Ran's shoulder. Shiho tensed. Ran teasingly slapped his arm off, but nevertheless, the young scientist had been effected by the action. Remembering last night's conversation (and trying not to bite her lip), Shiho sighed, shaking her head and turning to Saguru, who seemed baffled at her sudden mood change.

She knew exactly what her answer would be.

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**A/N: Oh, SNAP! Another cliffhanger! LOL. Please, NO hate mail! XD**

**Okay, thank you for being patient. Believe me, I tried updating as soon as possible.. I think I did okay. I now have the rest of the story pretty much mapped out... but I'm still accepting any ideas/suggestions! As for the lip-biting thing.. Um, yeah, the whole "girls bite their lips when they're disappointed" is not true. Haha. At least not for me. And PLEASE (I cannot stress this enough!) REVIEW!**

**If you don't review, I won't update. :P**

**And yes. That's a threat.**

**-AnnieAltman88**


	9. Breathtaking

**Starting Over **

**A/N: Hello! First of all, I want to say that I am BEYOND SORRY! I haven't updated for... 2 months! Crazy, right? Well, for me, school started 2 months ago and naturally, I've already been procrastinating with homework... I've been incredibly busy and I BEG for your forgiveness because you readers mean the WORLD to me! **

**Well, since in the last chapter, I threatened to not update if I didn't get enough reviews, you guys seem to have a sudden interest in reviewing my fictions! Wow, I should really threaten you more often! Only joking. Lol. Kind of... **

**Anyways, thanks to all of you reviewers. Especially thanks to roankun (once more) and a certain anonymous "amelia" who generously promoted my story to Facebook and Twitter. Well.. here's Chapter 9! Things are starting to get interesting... (;**

**Enjoy~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed. [:**

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(3rd Person POV)

Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko were walking side-by-side, swinging their shopping bags cheerfully. The shopping center was always crowded around December, but the two girls had a very important shopping list. They had spent the last hour comparing different shades of eyeshadow and nail polish, carefully selecting the colors they thought to be the most attractive. In addition, they had both managed to purchase a pair of decent looking heels (which were delicately wrapped and placed in boxes with ribbons tied at the top). The last thing on their list was the most important: their dresses.

Sonoko abruptly stopped in front of a lavish looking boutique. "This it it, Ran! This is the place!" she exclaimed, pulling her best friend towards the entrance. "I saw the most _amazing _dresses in here the other day!" The brunette laughed nervously, but allowed her companion to drag her into the store without complaint. Within twenty minutes, the two teenagers had already managed to pick out a variety of different dresses to try on, and headed excitedly into the dressing rooms.

"Oooh, Ran, how about this one?" Sonoko questioned breathlessly, gazing admiringly into the mirror. She was wearing a tight purple cocktail dress, with thin straps and a beaded front.

"Isn't that a little short, Sonoko...?" Ran asked quietly. Sonoko inspected the dress once more, attempting to pull the skirt down a little longer.

"Yeah... yeah, I suppose you're right," she muttered, clearly disappointed. But it didn't last long as she glimpsed the large pile of dresses still awaiting her approval. Ran, on the other hand, was calmly pulling on a gown from her own pile (which was noticeably smaller). She had been unusually quiet.

"Are you OK, Ran?" Her best friend was eying her with concern.

"I – yeah, of course, Sonoko," she replied, zipping up a pretty pink gown. For a minute, she glanced at it with distaste, before quickly pulling it off and tossing it into another pile.

"Ran, that was _gorgeous _on you!" Sonoko scolded disapprovingly. "Shinichi would've loved it!" Ran winced, frowning. Sonoko paused. "Wait – " she said, narrowing her eyes, "This is about _Shinichi_, isn't it? Ran... what's up?"

"I... Oh, Sonoko..." Ran shook her head dispiritedly. "I have to tell you something..."

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Meanwhile, Miyano Shiho was sitting motionlessly at her desk, looking out the window and contemplating. The sky was a dreary gray. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door of her bedroom. Professor Agasa peeked his head in.

"Ai-chan? Are you alright?" the old man asked gently.

Shiho nodded. "Of course I am."

"Well, then," Hakase entered her room quietly, taking a seat at the foot of her bed and facing her with a kind smile. "Are you planning to go to the dance that Shinichi was talking about?"

Shiho tensed. "I actually wasn't planning on it..."

"Why not?" Agasa questioned innocently. "Don't you have a date? I'm sure plenty of boys asked you..." Shiho grimaced. Professor Agasa only grinned.

"I have something for you, Ai-chan."

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If there was one thing Shinichi hated more than crime, it was the bustling of activity that came with the holidays. But add a high school dance to the picture and the busyness nearly doubles. Honestly, he couldn't give less of a care about what he was going to wear! Of course, if it wasn't for _Sonoko_, who had been insistently pestering him for the past couple days about the dance, he'd be in a much better mood.

Hoping to avoid all the rushing holiday shoppers, Shinichi had bought a decent suit online. He also managed to rent a limousine and purchase a pretty corsage for Ran.

And so, on December 1st, Shinichi stood in front of a full-length mirror, nervously adjusting his bow tie. He looked quite dashing in his suit and his smirk was wider than ever. Kudo Shinichi was one to impress.

"Oho!" A booming voice echoed throughout his house. "You look charming, Shinichi!" Agasa grinned toothily, striding into the room and slapping the detective enthusiastically on the back.

Chuckling, Shinichi turned to face the old man. "Thanks, Hakase." He grabbed the small box in which the corsage was delicately placed and hurried out the door with a wave.

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"Wow, Shinichi! A limousine! ...thank you!" Ran exclaimed in awe. But for some reason, Shinichi noticed something holding her back. It seemed almost as though his thoughtfulness was causing her more distress.

"By the way, you look great tonight, Ran," the young detective smiled, pointing out her pretty red gown, which almost reached her ankles. Her long brown hair was let down as usual and she looked very nice.

Shinichi politely held the car door open for Ran and followed as she climbed in. They headed on their way to pick up Sonoko and Kyogoku Makoto, her long distance boyfriend and crush.

Before long, the four teenagers had all arrived at Teiten High School, nervously walking into the doors of the gym, where the event was being held.

"Wow!" Ran and Sonoko both gasped. The massive room looked even bigger than usual; small, round, clothed tables which could seat around six people bordered the edge of the room, leaving an empty space in the middle for dancers. The lights had been dimmed, though brightly colored ones danced across the floor and walls. Streamers, banners, and balloons decorated the place beautifully. The color scheme was an icy blue and silver, and Shinichi felt as if he were stepping into a winter wonderland. The staff had really outdone themselves. There were even sparkling snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. The place was extravagant.

Ran seemed to be getting nervous, gripping Shinichi's arm tighter.

"Something wrong, Ran?" her date asked, concerned.

"No, it's nothing," Ran replied, smiling. "Me and Sonoko are gonna get some drinks, okay?" She hurried off with her best friend (who had just given Shinichi a meaningful glance) to the buffet tables. Makoto and Shinichi sat down and began to make small talk.

_Finally! _he thought once the girls hurried back with drinks. The four of them ate and chatted for a bit. It had only been ten minutes later and Shinichi had already began to feel bored. Makoto had asked Sonoko to dance. Watching some of the couples on the dance floor, Shinichi figured it wouldn't hurt to ask Ran either. Besides, she looked beyond nervous and he was beyond bored.

"Would you care to dance?" the young detective asked politely, holding out his arm for her to take.

Ran managed a half-smile and took his arm, allowing him to guide her onto the dance floor along with the many other couples.

And that was when it happened.

The front doors were pushed open. Everything seemed to have stopped. Shinichi turned, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever had suddenly caught everyone's attention...

And that was when he saw her. The most beautiful girl in the world, with her dark blue eyes, wavy gold hair, and slight, aristocratic frown. Never had he seen anything quite so breathtaking.

A sudden wave of anger and hatred rippled through him. And yet he couldn't take his eyes off of her as she walked calmly and elegantly into the gym, arm in arm with none other than Hakuba Saguru.

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**A/N: Aw man! I'm getting really good at these suspenseful endings! I realize, of course, that you readers absolutely HATE them but... well... Haha, they're just so much fun. xD**

**Anyways, my apologies for the short chapter. Sometimes, you just know the perfect spot to end... You know, so you readers can soak in all the information and whatnot. (; It's NOT because I'm lazy! (No, it really isn't. Especially since I feel so bad about taking so long to update.)**

**Truthfully, I've had this chapter planned out since the very beginning of the story. Actually, I had this in my mind before I even BEGAN the story! Hopefully, you'll enjoy all the drama I worked hard to create. I apologize if you don't. But PLEASE no hateful comments/reviews.**

**Speaking of reviews! I know you guys hate me right now for not updating, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! Understand that if I feel that more people are about to hunt me down if I don't update sooner, I'll be inclined to work harder! :D**

**Once again, I'm super sorry for taking so long with this chapter! (And I cannot guarantee the next chapter will come any sooner.) However, now that the idea is fresh in my mind (and the plot is almost complete), I'll hopefully be able to finish Chapter 10 soon! **

**Feel free to PM me with any questions/comments! AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!**

**Gracias! ;D**

**-Miss Annie**

**NOTE: Edited slightly.. just slightly. [1/15/2011]**


	10. Memories

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Hi again! First of all, I want to say HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! I started this chapter on November 25, 2010 (and Thanksgiving Day in the United States, where I live) and finished two months later (February 14, 2011)! I think it's a great holiday (both of them, really) – and I'm going to take this chance to thank all of my readers and reviewers for devoting some of your time to my stories! It means more than you would think. I love you guys! (;**

**Anyways, back to the main topic! Starting Over is beginning to end! I'm getting ready to wrap up the story... Sorry, but it has to end eventually. ): **

**Thanks to those of you who took the time to review Chapter 9! I'll admit, it wasn't the best chapter. I'm working on it! **

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Detective Conan/Case Closed. ;D**

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(3rd Person POV)

At that very moment, Shinichi couldn't help but marvel at how unfair life was. Of course, he had no reason to think so. He was, after all, the Great Detective of the East, with wealthy, caring parents, many friends, and a very pretty girlfriend. And yet, here he was... staring blatantly at the young couple across the room with a flagrant look of shock and... disgust? Ran was eying him curiously. It suddenly occurred to him that he had just asked her to dance and she was waiting for him to lead.

"Oh, Ran, sorry, I just spaced out for a second," Shinichi chuckled. _Just laugh it off... _

He placed both hands gently on her waist, giving her a confident smile. They began to sway slowly to the music. It was a little awkward, yes, but he told himself that he was enjoying it.

The dance gave him some time to think. Ran still didn't seem particularly keen on starting a conversation, and truthfully, neither was he. They settled into a familiar silence. Shinichi couldn't help but sneak a glance at Shiho and Saguru. To his surprise, the young blonde chemist was looking right back at him. Shiho smirked, causing Shinichi to falter and nearly trip Ran, forcing the both of them to bump into another couple.

Apologizing profusely, the two hurried off the dance floor. When Shinichi looked back, Shiho was in deep conversation with Hakuba. He blinked, starting to smirk slowly.

"Shinichi?" Ran tapped his shoulder, "I'm going to the ladies' room, okay?"

"Sure, Ran," the young detective smiled. He headed over to an empty table in the back and proceeded to observe the ball. Well, actually, he proceeded to observe the couple across the room. _Hakuba seems to be enjoying himself greatly_, Shinichi thought, grimacing. _Shiho, on the other hand... well, knowing her, she'd probably rather be anywhere else. I'll bet the sneaky detective talked her into this against her will! _Shinichi paused. _Well, it's not like Shiho would be the type to be talked into anything she truly doesn't want to do... So... does that mean she _wanted _to come to the ball with Hakuba? _Shinichi's frown deepened unintentionally. _Nah, of course not! I mean, why w – _

"Kudo!"

"Huh?" Shinichi started, nearly toppling out of his chair. "Sh-Shiho!" he glared at her. "Don't do that!"

"What's wrong with you? I called your name three times," the blonde had already taken the seat besides his.

"It's nothing," Shinichi replied. He wasn't unaware of the huge smile that had made it's way to his lips. He felt relieved... no, _content. _It was an awfully disturbing feeling.

Shiho had also noticed. "Seriously, Kudo. What's wrong? You're _glowing_."

"Am I?" the detective replied, still smiling, "Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment, you _arrogant –_ "

"My, aren't we a little too mature for insults?" Shinichi cut in with a bored expression, faintly noting how the strange feeling seemed to be growing as he watched her hand twitch, as if it itched to make contact with his face.

"Oh, yeah, because you're _so _mature – "

"Ah, Miyano-san?" Saguru interrupted the two teenagers. He was rewarded with death glares from the both of them. "Eh, bad time?"

Shiho forced herself to take a deep breath_. _"Not at all," she replied calmly to a rather amused Saguru.

"Well, then," the blonde detective smiled, holding out his arm for her to take. "May I have this dance?"

_No. _Shiho's thoughts came out instinctively. _No, you may not. _But she reconsidered. He had, after all, had the courtesy to take her to the dance... and keep up an intelligent conversation without trying to make a move on her. She supposed she owed him that much. _Gosh, I'm going soft... I got to stop spending too much time with Kudo._

"Well, alright, then," Shiho responded, taking his hand and letting him guide her towards the center of the gym. Shinichi was left sitting alone with a slight frown on his face. The feeling was gone. Abruptly, the young detective stood up and quickly weaved his way through the crowd of students, making a beeline for the doors.

"Shinichi! Where are you going?" Ran was suddenly in front of him, having just come back from the restroom.

"Nowhere, Ran," her date replied not unkindly, and continued to gently push past her and the other students. At last, he was outside of the school, walking briskly along a familiar path, deep in thought.

_Why am I...? What–? I – why...? Oi, I can't even think today! _Shinichi smiled shamefully up at the moon. _It's Shiho, _he thought to himself simply.

Most think of him as rather intelligent in deductive reasoning and criminal cases, but completely dense when it comes to romance. Which, he supposed, was somewhat true...But Shinichi wasn't a _complete_ idiot. No, he had noticed Ran's odd behavior recently. And yes, he realized that his romantic feelings for her seemed to be diminishing. And, believe it or not, he even recognized that whenever Shiho was around, that feeling of belonging would come to him and he'd have a strange desire to impress – to please her. He also knew that if Sonoko heard his thoughts, she'd immediately claim he had fallen deeply and unconditionally in love with Shiho, and they were bound to spend a lifetime pining after one another, caught up in a love triangle filled with heated passion and intensity. After all, what kind of detective would he be if he did not know these things? If he could not observe even the simplest of details? _A rather stupid tantei-san, as Shiho would've said. _Shinichi chuckled to himself.

But being the detective he was, he could not help but consider _all_ of the possibilities. Even Sonoko's. (Well, not really Sonoko's.) And being the detective that he was, he could not help but wonder, _why?_ Why was he drifting away from Ran, his only childhood friend and crush, whom he never let another girl get in the way of his relationship with? What was it about Shiho that made her an exception? _Scratch that, _Shinichi thought, _What _isn't _it about Shiho that makes her an exception? She's just plain _different_. _

Yes, different. But was that necessarily a bad thing?

_No, of course not. _He continued his pondering. _But honestly, I can't love Ran one minute, get over her the next, and suddenly fall for Shiho! It's impossible! It's _always _been Ran! I always believed she was perfect for me –_

"Gah! ...Shinichi!"

"Eh? Oh, Hakase! Sorry," Shinichi laughed, helping the professor pick up dropped groceries. He had been so deep in thought, he had barely noticed as he walked straight into the old man.

"It's alright, it's alright. I should have been paying more attention... Something wrong, Shinichi? Shouldn't you be at the dance?" Agasa questioned, scooping up the rest of the fallen groceries.

"I... just needed some fresh air," the teenager said simply, glancing off towards the general direction of the school. He had walked a lot further than he thought – he couldn't even see the high school anymore.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seem awfully distracted," the professor pressed on.

"Well, no..," Shinichi began, before slowly drifting off. Observing the two large paper bags Agasa was holding, he changed the subject. "Need help with those, Hakase? I got time."

"No, no, Shinichi," the Professor brushed him off quickly, blushing slightly for whatever reason, "I've got it fine!" The next second, however, his arms gave away and all the contents in the bags spilled out once more, covering the sidewalk with cans of soup, jars of various sauces, and a nice, fat chicken. The detective bent over to help pick up said items once more.

Holding up what appeared to be a wheel of Italian cheese, Shinichi frowned. "What's all this for, Hakase? Didn't Shiho already buy groceries? It looks like you're about to cook a huge, fancy dinner, or something." Agasa blushed again.

"Really? You _are_, aren't you," Shinichi was taken back, "Why are you blushing? Wait – don't tell me... You're on a _date_!" The Professor's face reddened further.

"Oh, look at the time!" he pointed hastily to an imaginary watch on his wrist, "Better get back home! Well, see you later, Shinichi!" And he tried to make a run for it. The detective, however, was not finished with him.

"Oi, hold up!" he pulled the professor back towards him, swiftly catching one of the bags before it hit the ground once more. "You are on a date! With whom? Don't tell me it's that fashion designer lady*!"

"Shh!" Agasa silenced him quickly, blushing so deeply, the hair (or rather, the lack of hair) on his head stood out vividly against his beet red face. He looked behind him frantically, as if he was worried someone would overhear. "Okay, okay, you got me! I'm preparing dinner later tonight, since you and Shiho are going to be gone for the whole evening! Except, _someone _isn't at school like they're supposed to be!"

"Well, maybe I'd just rather not be at the dance right now," Shinichi stated simply.

"Hm, why?" The Professor asked, his eyes widening curiously. "Ah, _girl _problems?"

Shinichi frowned. "No. That's not it."

"Hm, alright then," Agasa responded with a shrug. "By the way, did you notice Ai-kun's dress tonight?"

"Eh?" Shinichi started, "Wh-Why should I? What about it?"

"Oh, nothing!" the Professor said unconvincingly. "Just.. um, go back to the dance and.. er, dance.. and stuff.." Agasa laughed sheepishly, "See you later, Shinichi!" And he headed off with his groceries, leaving a flustered detective behind.

Shinichi sighed. _No use staying out here any longer.. _

He headed back to school. Within minutes, the blasting music reached his ears again. He stood almost twenty feet from the door, not yet ready to go in.

"Shinichi?" a timid voice spoke up from behind him.

"Ran?" Shinichi turned, surprised to see his childhood friend outside. "Shouldn't you be inside?"

Ran scoffed, "Shouldn't you, Shinichi?" The detective laughed.

"Okay, fine. Let's go in then."

Ran shook her head. Shinichi paused, confused. "I need to talk to you," she spoke quietly, almost nervously. She began towards the back of the school without another word.

"Er, okay," Shinichi followed. Ran stopped under a huge oak tree, and placed her right palm on the trunk of the tree. She smiled briefly, before turning to face her date once more.

"Remember this tree, Shinichi?" she asked.

Her friend was rather startled at the question. "Um, should I?" he responded, wondering why she would bring up the subject.

Ran sighed. "Of course you don't. But I'm a little surprised. It was only three years ago, compared to the whole childhood we spent together."

Shinichi was still confused. "What's so special about this tree?"

Ran whipped around to face him, and for a second, he thought that she was going to hit him. But the anger quickly evaporated from her pretty face, only to be replaced by sadness.

"You see?" She spoke up after what seemed to be a long silence. But it was as if she was talking to the tree, rather than him. "He doesn't remember. He doesn't remember how he gave me that rose on Valentine's Day** and told me..." Ran trailed off, and laughed softly.

Shinichi frowned. _Oh, I remember now... that day three years ago, in our first year of high school.. _He recalled buying the rose from a local florist, and asking her to meet him "at the big oak tree" before school... How could he forget? He had been planning to confess to her, but instead, blushing madly, only handed her the rose and said "_Here you go, you big crybaby. I-I figured you be mad if I didn't get you some stupid gift, so.. so here." _And as an afterthought, added "_Happy Valentine's Day, Ran" _and dashed off as quickly as he can.

How could he forget such a thing? Any fond childhood memory involving Ran was usually stored in a special place in his brain, so that he was able to easily look back at them affectionately. But ever since he became Conan and met Ai, those childhood memories were replaced by memories from his second childhood.. and memories of Ai – their little "debates", those rare images of her smiling fondly at the Detective Boys, and so much more.

"Well, it doesn't matter." Ran's statement brought him back to reality. "It was only a little thing.. but.. then again, it's all the little things that matter, isn't it?" Shinichi only stared back solemnly, absolutely unsure of what to say.

"Shinichi, I have to tell you something." Ran sounded beyond nervous. She sighed, again. "While you were gone – and you were gone a long time – I.. I met a guy on one of Dad's cases."

Shinichi continued to stare. Ran looked at him for a moment, and continued, "I want to be honest with you, Shinichi. But I was absolutely smitten." She smiled at the tree again. "He's a great guy. He studies hard and plans to go to medical school. He respects my space, and even acknowledged that I had feelings for you... And don't look at me like that, Shinichi, I didn't cheat on you!" She cut him off before he could begin angrily. "But Shinichi, you need to _understand_. Even if I did pursue some kind of relationship with the guy, I wouldn't be cheating on you." She paused.

"And best of all, he _listened_. He listened to every one of my problems. He was _there_, Shinichi, something, I'm sorry to say, you did not fulfill one hundred percent. Do you get it?"

Of course he got it. She wasn't just telling him that she was pretty much over him. She was telling him that their time apart had interfered with their relationship. She was telling him that it was okay to move on. She did.

Shinichi nodded. "Thanks, Ran," he smiled, causing the girl to blink in surprise of how easy it had been. "I understand. But, one question.. where was Conan?"

Ran stopped to think. "I think, he was off somewhere with his friend, Ai-chan."

Shinichi blinked, and almost laughed out loud. "Alright. Well, Ran, I'll.. I'll see you later, okay? Good luck with your guy." He winked at her, knowing that she probably still kept in contact with him.

Ran blushed, and winked back, "Good luck with your _girl_." She laughed, and went back inside, leaving Shinichi to deal with his own thoughts.

Somehow, the fact that Ran had basically told him that she was choosing someone else over him did not bother Shinichi quite so much. There was no jealousy, no bitterness. It was clear to him that Ran wasn't the only one who had changed.

_He was _there_, Shinichi. _Ran had said. She was right. She deserved someone who was there for her, all the way. Everyone deserved that. And now that he thought about it, Shiho (or Ai) was the only one who was _always there_ for him, whether he needed help on a particularly difficult case, or just some companionship. And now that he thought about it, he hadn't exactly done the same for her.. always running off with Ran while he was still Conan and ignoring most of her needs... leaving her alone in a high school where she had almost no friends...

_Well, no time to dwell on the past, _Shinichi thought to himself as he practically sprinted back to the dance.

He needed to talk to a certain scientist.

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**A/N: Yay! Done! Anyways, sorry for the long update, blah blah blah.. You get the idea. Lol. Um, please review! And have a great Valentine's Day! I love you guys! **

*** Fusae Campbell Kinoshita, Agasa's supposed love interest. (;**

**** Okay, so maybe Japan celebrates White Day instead of Valentine's Day... Or maybe they celebrate both? Well, make it whatever you want! **

**Always, **

**AnnieAltman88**


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